It Happened One Night
by ElizabethAnne1
Summary: It might of happened one night, but the repercussions will be felt the very next day. Babe, as always. Major M for naughty words and situations.
1. Chapter 1

**AN: I guess that writing two stories at the same time wasn't challenging enough, so I decided to add a third. This is more alternate reality than AU. Ranger is Ranger, but Steph is a little different. She kept her job at E.E. Martin for a little longer than she does in the books, and her first job after her layoff isn't working for Vinnie…**

**Oh! There are some very adult words and situations here. Much of this chapter is told from inside Ranger's head. He has a **_**very **_**dirty internal monologue. There is no fading to black down there and it's smuttier than anything I've ever written, so if you're offended easily, or you are my sister, you should probably mosey on by without reading. **

**Hope you like!**

**Any recognizable characters or places are the sole property of their respective owners. No infringement is intended. This plot, however, is all mine. **

RPOV

All I had wanted to do was sit in my little club and have a drink. It was a ritual I had observed since I had taken my first mission away from my private sector business. Coming back from Uganda was going to require some R and R, but this was the only free time I could indulge in. Thankfully this assignment, my toughest one ever, had been resoundingly successful. It also ended my obligation to the government. I'd never have to leave home ever again. I was getting too old to play universal soldier all the time. I pulled up to my usual watering hole and locked my back-up gun, holstered weapon and knife in the glove compartment.

What? I've made a few enemies in my life.

Jimmy the bartender nodded in my direction when I walked in the door of the small upscale club and made straight for my table in the back, already reaching for the Bowmore that he kept just for me. He silently placed the scotch in front of me and disappeared back behind the polished mahogany bar, striking conversation back up with his regulars. It was quiet for now as it was pretty early, but within the next few hours the dance floor would become crowded with hipsters and be too loud for me.

I sipped the smoky liquid and let the memories of the last two months slip away. I almost hadn't made it out alive this time, but it was over now and I had plans to execute for my business. I wanted to open some satellite offices in other cities and I had to woo some investors starting tomorrow. Hopefully Tank had hired an office manager in my absence. We needed all the help we could get with our expansion plans.

My thoughts were harshly interrupted by a group of laughing young woman spilling through the doorway. They stopped and looked around the dim room, one girl, with a riotous explosion of curly hair, stared directly at me for a second before her attention was pulled back to her friends. They lined up at the bar and ordered some shots for Curly in celebration of something. I leaned back in my chair and let their good mood wash over me. They had such an exuberance about them, Curly in particular. I couldn't help but focus on her. She was dressed casually, but sexily, in tight jeans, sky-high heels and a low-backed loose top. Her ass looked spectacular and I felt my fingers itch with the urge to grab it and smack it. I was watching her so intently that I didn't notice one of her friends had been watching me. She nudged her and nodded in my direction, Curly turned and we locked eyes.

Like I said, I'd been away for two months, and risking life and limb to overthrow a despotic dictator hadn't left any time to relieve any tension. The immediate hard-on I had just from looking at this woman made up my mind. I'd have her by the end of the night.

I nursed a second drink and watched her and her group for a while, she wasn't drinking nearly as much as her companions, but was none-the-less having as much fun as everyone else. A song came on that had them heading to the dance floor. I felt a smile tug at my lips. Curly, not being inebriated like her fellow bon vivants, a little more subdued, but even more provocative. The way she moved was attracting attention from more than just me. She would look at me intermittently, catching me watching her and a flush would rise on her cheeks. She ended the song with her back to me. Watching that perfect ass sway not ten feet from me had me up out of the chair and moving in her direction, following her back to the bar.

"Hello." I said to her.

She turned and looked me up and down, "Hi." Fuck me did she have a sexy voice and those eyes, they were a really bright blue.

_Fucking gorgeous._

"Can I buy you a drink?" I motioned to Jimmy to refill her glass.

"No thanks, big day tomorrow. I'm good." She looked me over again and turned back to her friends.

_Well that didn't work out like I'd thought._

"Then dance with me." She turned abruptly, eyebrows pinched and mouth open to say something when her friend whispered something in her ear, her entire expression changed from kind of pissy to thoughtful. With a little elbow from her friend, she stumbled and Curly sent her a glare. Her friend winked at me over her shoulder and turned her attention away. "Dance with me?" I said with less of a command this time. She sighed and made her way to the dance floor without checking to see if I was following.

I caught up with her and put my hands on her hips, I turned her around to face me, pulling her close enough that I could feel her against me. I started moving to the music and she automatically moved with me, inching slightly closer.

"I'm Carlos."

"Stephanie." She said in that husky voice. With her shoes on we were nearly eye-to-eye, but I couldn't take my eyes off her mouth, she had such a pouty bottom lip and it was making me picture some really fucking dirty things. I seriously wanted to just skip the whole 'get to know you' routine. I wanted to fuck her. A point that was evidently clear as we were now so close together that my cock was basically humping her belly. She moved even closer and whispered in my ear. "I can feel that you know. Jesus, what do have in there?"

"Just me babe." I said with a smirk. She rolled her eyes at my cockiness and backed away a tiny bit. Giving me a great view down the front of her shirt.

_Shit…I think she's bare under there. _

She turned away from me and backed up until there wasn't an inch of space between us. My hand automatically migrating from her hip to her firm belly, pushing her back. She started to deliberately sway against me. The friction on my cock making my eyes roll back a bit. I lowered my lips to her ear and murmured, "You're so fucking sexy babe." I couldn't resist placing a kiss on her earlobe and really enjoyed watching her nipples draw tighter and press against the smooth material of her top. I moved my mouth down her neck, breathing in her warm scent. She raised a hand to my head and sank her fingers into my hair, anchoring me to her neck. Her other hand moved to my hand on her stomach and encouraged my fingers to trail across the silky swath of skin between her top and her jeans. The heat I felt course up my arm was disconcerting, but incredibly arousing. Every deep breath she took caused her top to gap at the neckline and the way she was holding my head had me looking directly down at those perky tits. I twisted her around again and crushed her to me, because her ass rhythmically rubbing my cock was making me feel like I was going to come in my pants like a teenager. She sank her fingers into my hair again and pulled my face closer to hers and placed a soft lingering kiss at the corner of my mouth. As she went to pull away, I followed her and cupped her face. Kissing her sexy mouth, once, twice, before she groaned deep and opened her lips and allowed me to kiss her properly. I could taste the fruity drink she'd been imbibing on her tongue and drew her in even closer. My hand leaving her face and tracing down the bare skin of her back. Her hands went around my waist, fingers working under the waistband of my pants, gently flexing against the top of my ass. It felt like we stood there for hours dancing and touching. It was all pure foreplay, her hand would graze against my fly and my hand smoothed over her ass cheek squeezing roughly, making her moan in my ear. My leg worked between her thighs and I rubbed her purposely against me. I was on fire for her and if I didn't get her in my bed very, very soon I felt like I would die.

I dragged my unwilling lips off of her and begged, "Tell me you'll leave with me? I want to take you somewhere private." She looked me in the eyes and assessed me for a second. "I promise you'll be safe."

"I know." She said quietly. "Let me get my things." I followed her back to her friends. They were watching us with huge smiles on their faces. Looking like they were just barely refraining from commenting on our "dancing". She grabbed her bag off the bar and I grabbed her hand and started to tow her towards the door.

"Steph, wait!" Her friend called. "I need numbers!"

"Oh crap, okay." She said back. "Umm, Carlos I need your phone."

"Sure, why?" I asked, digging it out of my pocket.

"I have to use it to call my girlfriend, that way if you turn out to be a psycho…well, she has your phone number." She said as she dialed a number and waited for it to connect before hanging up.

"You have a system?"

"We've been friends for a long time." She said with a shrug. She smiled and pulled me in for another deep kiss before heading out of the door.

"I'm parked over there." I said nodding towards my car.

"I'll follow you to…where are we going?" She asked.

"My place?"

"Sure, I'll be right behind you." She ran her hand down my chest and stomach and fiddled with my belt, making my heart thud in my chest. I shoved my fingers into her hair, bringing her face back to mine and thrust my tongue in her mouth again. I was really worried that she would think better of what she was about to do and not follow me home. I was a total stranger to her. I would never hurt a woman, but there was no way she could know that.

She backed away slowly and climbed into her car while I stood there, watching her. She made a hurry up gesture with her hands and I snapped out of my stupor and slid behind my own steering wheel.

I was living in a brownstone across the street from my new office. When construction was complete I would be moving in to the seventh floor of the building, but for now I had a pretty bare bones apartment. It hit me a while later that I generally kept my address a closely guarded secret, but for some reason I had no problem showing this woman where I slept. She pulled up behind me in the narrow driveway, quickly messing with her phone. She climbed out and glanced at the office building across the way before joining me on the front steps.

"Hi." She said almost shyly.

"Hey." I said, pulling her close and kissing her again. It did my ego something good to feel her melt into that kiss. Her hands slipped under my shirt and scratched gently at my skin. I shoved the door open and slowly maneuvered her into my little living room. Stopping at the couch, I forced myself to let go of her mouth. "I've been away for a while, so I'm not sure what I have, but would you like a drink?"

"No. I'm good, really." She seemed anxious all of a sudden, so I sat down and patted the cushion next to me, but she remained standing.

"You okay?" I wanted her badly, but I wasn't going to pressure her into my bed.

"Yeah, I've been off guys since my husband and I split, so I'm just really…fucking ready." She surprised the hell out of me by straddling my thighs and lowering her mouth to mine again. She picked up both my hands and put them around her neck where her shirt was tied together. She placed my fingers on the ends of the ties and gently pulled, showing me exactly what she wanted. I tugged slightly and the bow came undone, the soft material puddled around her waist. Her fucking beautiful tits, right in my face. I ran one fingertip around her taut nipple and her head dropped back, a long low moan slipping out. I gently pinched it and she ground her hips into mine.

_I don't know what bozo let her go, but I guess it was my lucky day._

I could feel the warmth of her pussy through our clothes and got even harder at the idea that sometime really soon, I'd be inside her. I bent and sucked that little rosy peak into my mouth and pushed her down on me at the same time. I could feel the seam of her jeans pushing down on my dick and hoped that it felt good for her as well, judging by her harsh breaths I'd say it did. Her hands scrabbled down my back and started pulling my shirt off. I eased her off my lap and stood, taking my shirt off in the process. I held out my hand to her. She looked at me questioningly.

"I'm going to need more room than a couch allows babe. Come with me."

"Okay." She said shakily. She took a deep breath, kicked off her shoes and stood, now quite a bit shorter than me. I bent and kissed her again. She really was a fantastic kisser, the way her tongue slid against mine made me wonder if I would get to have those sexy lips wrapped around my cock before the night was through. Feeling all her warm skin pressed against me was making me crazy, so I nudged her in the direction of my bedroom. I flicked the light on and was relieved to see that Ella had come in recently and cleaned up a bit. I backed Curly up to the bed and got to work on her jeans, pushing them and the miniscule panties she had on, down together. Letting my palms run down her slim thighs as I went. As she pulled her feet free I was hit with the scent of her arousal, heady and musky, sexy as hell. My mouth watered and before I knew what I was doing, I was sliding a finger through her lips, finding her very, very wet.

"Oh god! Please!" I'm a sucker for begging, so I spread her lips apart with my fingers and licked her clit softly. Moaning at her taste. Her legs wobbled and I pushed her down on the bed, climbing between her thighs and got back to business. I'd always loved going down on women. I loved that they got wetter and louder the closer they got to coming. I loved making them shake and moan with just my tongue and maybe a finger or two. I loved the scent and taste and the delicate folds of their lips and how they swelled in direct correlation with how turned on they were, but most of all I loved how a tiny bundle of nerves when touched, kissed or sucked just right, could make a woman beg and plead both with her words and her movements. But this woman, here on my bed, had the most delicious pussy I'd ever had the pleasure of licking. I kissed and sucked and nibbled at her clit, her moans and whimpers turning me on so much I was practically humping the bed. I slid a finger into her tight, Jesus, fucking tight pussy and felt her muscles immediately clamp down on it. I worked a second one in and stroked her front wall firmly. Her hips shot off the bed and she screamed as she came. A tiny gush of fluid escaping her, making me feel like a fucking king.

I climbed over her, resting my elbows on either side of her face. Her eyes were shut and her breathing was ragged. Her hard little nipples touching me with every breath. My cock was straining hard to fight its way out of my pants and I rubbed it against her hip. Her eyes popped open and she gave me the sexiest, laziest smile.

"Wow." She murmured breathlessly.

"Yeah?"

"Mmmmhmmm." She said with a tiny nod. "I can barely move."

"You're not done are you?" I started to panic a little. It's not like I couldn't take care of myself, but my dick had been painfully hard all night and was incredibly jealous of my fingers for being inside her.

"Not hardly…just need a few minutes to get the feeling back in my arms and legs…Take off your pants, I want to see you." I didn't need to be told twice. I hopped up and made quick work of my belt and fly. She watched every movement avidly, like she was committing it to memory, whimpering when I pushed my pants down and my dick swung out, heavy and hard. She rolled close to me and moved to her knees. She reached out, her fingers grazing over my chest then trailing down and encircling me, squeezing gently. I froze, afraid to even breath, the hours of teasing had taken its toll and I felt like I was about to come just from the feeling of her soft hand stroking me.

"Easy babe, I don't want to come yet and you have no idea how good your hand feels." I said as I held her wrist, stilling her hand.

"I think you can manage to get hard again, no?" She asked giving me that sultry smile again.

"I'm positive it wouldn't be a problem, but…ungh!" She cut me off abruptly by licking the head of my cock, moaning and then sucking me in pretty fucking deep. I felt the tip hit the back of her throat and she swallowed around me making me cry out and bury my hands in her hair.

_Goddamn, those lips felt amazing wrapped around me._

"Holy shit, Curly…your mouth! Fuck!" I could feel my balls getting tighter and tighter. She was all over the place, alternately sucking me hard and backing off and licking around my head. I made the mistake of looking down at her and the sight of her mouth on me and my cock deep, fuck, really deep in her mouth had everything drawing up really tight. "Damn…you're going to make me come babe…Fuck!" I roared as I came, watching as she swallowed every drop, slowly licking me as I shook and shuddered standing over her. I gently pulled her mouth off me and kissed her deeply, moving back over her again. Feeling a bit like a caveman tasting myself in her mouth. I lay fully on top of her, legs tangled and rapidly recuperating erection right between her thighs. She moaned as I rubbed the head up and down her still dripping slit. I was rock-hard and ready to go in minutes. Spurred on by her dirty mumbling.

"Please Carlos…Fuck me…I need to feel you inside me." I knew I should have had a condom on before I even went near her, but feeling all that slick heat on my throbbing cock made me lose it and I slid just the tip inside her, both of us moaning at the sensation, before pulling out and reaching in the side-table for a rubber. I was shaking with the need to bury myself balls deep in her as I rolled it on. She wasn't helping, though, she had sat up with me urging me to hurry, her hands all over me. She quickly rolled over and lifted her ass high in the air, giving me the best view ever. I smacked one of those beautifully rounded cheeks, like I'd wanted to all night long, and was rewarded by a long throaty moan.

"You like that babe?" I smacked the other cheek, grabbing a handful of her flesh and squeezed. She got even wetter and moaned louder. I bent and licked her from clit to slit and straightened up, lining us up. I slowly sheathed myself in her. She stretched around me, but she was like a fucking vice. Squeezing me hard. She was moaning loudly, making me want to lose control and just pound the hell out of her. The last thing I wanted to do was hurt her though, so I tried really hard to go slow. I gripped her hips in my hands and pushed in deep. Overwhelmed by how fucking good it felt.

"You're so fucking tight babe. Can you feel that?" I asked as I slid out and back in again. Her loud grunt was all I got in return. I kept the pace slow and deep and I could feel her start to push back against me.

After a few thrusts she started to really push back and moaned, "Harder. Please! Harder." I pulled almost all the way out and slammed back in, earning me a near scream from her. Holding her cheeks apart, I watched as I penetrated her over and over again, my attention on her other entrance.

_Hmmm…I wonder what she'll do._

I very, very slowly moved my thumb closer and closer, giving her ample time to stop me if she wanted to, all the while pistoning in her. Her moaning intensified when I gently pressed down on her ass and her pussy clamped down on me, practically strangling my cock. She threw her head back and screamed as she bucked and came hard, ripping my climax right out of me. I collapsed to the side and she lay panting, face down in the sheets.

"Jesus Christ…babe, are you okay?" I'd really been pounding her at the end there.

"Yeah." She mumbled without moving her face from the mattress. I rubbed my hand down her back and knew I wasn't quite done with her.

"I'm going to get a drink babe, want something?" I said in her ear. She sighed and rolled over, giving me that smile again.

"Just some water?"

"Whatever you want."

I kissed her sexy lips and hopped up, hitting the bathroom to wash up and wandering into the kitchen. Thankfully Ella had stocked the fridge for me as well and I chugged a bottle of water before bringing one back in the bedroom for her. Curly was lying in the middle of the bed, completely bare, arm thrown over her face, looking pretty damn comfortable. She was so sexy without even trying. Despite coming twice in the last half an hour, I felt myself reacting to her again and slid into bed next to her. She lowered her arm and looked up at me.

"Hi." I said smiling down at her, handing her the water. She sat up to drink. I found myself entranced by the movements of her throat and the way her breasts swayed slightly as she guzzled her drink down. She finished it and recapped the bottle, reaching over me to settle it on the table. She laid back down, still slightly out of breath. She wiggled until we were spooning closely, my arm tightly around her.

"I just want to lay here for a second, then I'll go home." She sighed, contentedly.

"I'm not done with you yet babe." I ground my hardening cock into her backside.

She moaned quietly, "I have to get home Carlos. I'm starting my new job tomorrow. I have to be up early. What time is it now?"

I looked up at the clock. "Its 11:00, I think we can get another round in, don't you?" I murmured against the skin of her throat. I smiled when I felt her shudder, and let my hands wander. Lifting her leg, making her hiss when I pushed a finger inside of her.

This time when I slid inside her from behind, it was gentle and quiet. I thrust into her slow and deep, swallowing each other's sounds. I didn't stop kissing her the entire time and my heart was pounding out of my chest by the time we came. It was even more intense than the first time, the feelings she was evoking in me were a little scary. I was unused to actual intimacy when I had sex. I tended to distance myself from the women I slept with, but there was something very special about this beautiful woman in my arms.

I felt her shift out from under my arms a while later, she disappeared into the bathroom as sleep tugged me under and I woke hours later alone in bed.

**So yeah, that happened…Don't judge them too quickly, we all know they're supposed to be together. They just don't know it yet. **

**How can we get these two back together again, Hmmmm?**

**EA xoxox**


	2. Chapter 2

**AN: Some more for those that asked so nicely…**

**Any recognizable characters or places are the sole property of their respective owners. No infringement is intended. This plot, however, is all mine. **

SPOV

_I can't believe I had sex with a total stranger! And then I ducked out while he was sleeping. Holy shit! I fucked and ducked!_

_Me…_

Of course, those would be my first thoughts when I woke up a mere five hours after falling in to my bed. I hadn't even brushed my teeth, just shucked my slutty clothes and crawled under the sheets. Already tender and sore.

I stood and groaned as I stretched. Jesus, he really knew how to work a woman over. I was aching in places I didn't even know existed. It had been a year and a half since I walked in on my douchebag ex-husband boinking some skank on my dining room table.

_That asshole…_

Whatever, I was over it now.

The intervening time had elapsed with a disturbingly low level of interest in the opposite sex for me. My best girls had repeatedly tried to hook me up with various friends, but I just wasn't interested. Last night my sex drive had awakened with a vengeance. I was really hoping I'd bump into Carlos again sometime in the near future. He didn't seem like the relationship type, what with the fact that he picked me up in a club and wasted no time in seducing me very skillfully, but hopefully he wouldn't be averse to a repeat performance.

Today was a big day for me though. After being laid off from my job, I'd scoured the classifieds and sent out a million resumes. For one hideous moment I'd actually considered taking a job working for my pervert cousin Vinnie. He ran a bail bonds office on Hamilton Blvd, working there seemed like one step above the bottom of the barrel and I would only do it if it was truly the last choice I had. Thankfully I had eventually gotten a few call-backs, one of which was for an office manager position for a security firm just starting up in the area. I had a college degree, no criminal history, a clean driving record and corporate experience, which was apparently enough for the giant of a man who interviewed me and hired me on the spot.

One word that could describe my new coworkers I had spied on my way from my interview, would be, gorgeous. If anything could have perked up my lagging libido it would be working there. Outside of a gym, I'd never seen so many physically perfect men in one place.

Speaking of gyms, the only drawback of my new job was that I was required to use the gym facilities at the office for at least an hour, three times a week. I wasn't very happy about this as the only physical part of my job would be walking back and forth to the copier outside my office. But hey, they were paying me double what my old job did, I guess I could spend a little time on the treadmill.

I stepped over to my closet and pulled out my new work attire. Black on black wasn't my favorite color scheme, but it made getting ready easy. I hobbled into the bathroom and climbed gingerly into the shower. Looking down I saw a massive hickey on my left boob and just like that I was thrown back into his sparsely furnished bedroom and that god of man was looming over me. I could feel his hands and mouth on me and his thick cock inside me. Hear his dirty words and his harsh breathing in my ears. Trust me to have the best sex of my entire life with a one night stand. Honestly though, I don't know if I could survive another go around with him. He was just so…everywhere.

I blew out a breath and grabbed the body wash. Trying to be gentle around my used and abused, yet still tingling, parts. Dismissing the urge to give the shower head a workout, I washed, dried and dressed and tried to block out the delicious flashes of last night my helpful brain was offering up.

I was excited about this job, it was close to home, had pleasant coworkers and benefits up the wazoo. I'd even get a company car after a probationary period and I would be able to get rid of my little Miata. The lease was almost up and if I could save the car payment and insurance premium, I'd be able to move into a nicer apartment in no time.

Pulling into the underground garage, I noticed a car similar to the one the sex god had been driving.

_Now is not the time to think about him, Stephanie. _

I zipped into my assigned spot, checked my reflection and schooled my features into less 'I'm so excited for this', to more 'I'm going to manage the shit out of this office'. When the elevator doors swished open on the fifth floor I was pleased to see my hirer.

"Tank!"

"Hey Steph." He rumbled as he shook my hand. "Welcome back. Your office is all set up and the new software you requested was installed yesterday." He ushered me into my new office and I got that much more excited. They'd had the room painted and the blinds were wide open, showing a small park and the brownstones across the road.

_He lives right over there…Shit, not now._

I swallowed hard and forced myself to focus on the job and not the hot flash I'd just experienced.

_I think my hair is sweating. _

"Okay Steph, the payroll program is already on the computer," he gestured for me to sit behind my new desk and leaned over me clicking on the icon and walked me through logging everyone's hours. "You'll be in charge of ordering everything but weaponry. We have an extensive armory downstairs, but you don't need to worry about that. Everything that is within your purview is in here." He clicked on another icon and lists and lists of items appeared.

"Not a problem."

"We're looking to expand and Ranger would like you to research suitable office space in Miami, Boston and Houston."

"I never asked, what's the owner's real name? I'm going to feel a bit doofy calling him Ranger."

"Carlos. Actually it's Ricardo Carlos Manoso." I felt a tremor run down my spine and looked in the direction of the voice I'd been hearing in my head since I crept out of his house late, well early this morning.

_Shit, he's still fucking gorgeous…and goddamit he's my new boss! Like boss, boss. The guy who is supposed to sign my paycheck…and I fucked him last night. Shit, shit, shit. _

He didn't look very happy to see me either. His eyes going from me in the chair to Tank still hovering over me. His expression becoming even sterner.

"Give me the room." He ordered in a scarily quiet voice.

"Steph, I'll catch up with you in a bit. I have to show you around." Tank said as he exited.

"Yeah, okay thanks." I mumbled distractedly. Unable to take my eyes off the other man in the room. He was dressed all in black. Black tight tee-shirt, black cargo pants tucked into black boots. Thickly muscled arms, crossed across an expansive chest. BIG gun. Dark eyes staring at me silently, waiting for me to start talking. Such a closed expression on his face, so different from the frankly appraising look he gave me last night.

"So, uh…hello." I said awkwardly. "It's, uh, nice to see you again."

He didn't say anything, just ran his hand over his face for a second and I found myself fixating on his long fingers.

…_that finger was inside me last night…_

_Shut the fuck up Stephanie._

"I know Tank had to have run a background check on you, but I'm only going to ask you this once. Did you know who I was last night?" He asked in that eerie voice. I was having a lot of trouble reconciling this version of him with the guy I met last night. Last night I had trusted him enough to go home and share something really intimate with him. The version I was seeing right now was definitely radiating danger and a whole lot of contained anger. I would never have gone home with this one. He was also pissing me off to no end.

"No!" I replied indignantly.

"I'm sorry, but I'm finding this whole thing entirely too coincidental. I've come to be a bit paranoid, you see. It's what's kept me alive so far." He growled.

"Look, I had no idea who you were last night. If I remember correctly, you approached me. You asked me to dance…and go home with you…" He dropped his arms and stalked across the small space, turned my chair to face him, placed his clenched fists on the chair's arms and leaned down close to my face.

_God, he smells good…_

"I don't think this is going to work."

_What? _"What?" He was just too close.

"You working for me."

"You can't fire me for sleeping with you!" I whisper yelled at him.

"It's my business! And I wouldn't be firing you for sleeping with me, I'd be firing you because I couldn't trust you."

"Trust me? There's a guy out there with a tear-drop tattooed on his cheek. I know what that means! Are you telling me you trust someone who has a gang kill under his belt more than the woman you had sex with last night?" I spat.

"I'd trust him with my life." He said emphatically.

"So let me get this straight. You get such a bad vibe from me that you felt comfortable enough to fall asleep on me while I was still in your house. So deeply so, that you didn't even know I'd left?" By this time his nose was about an inch away from mine and I couldn't stop my eyes from flicking to his lips and back. He knew I did it, of course, and I was pissed at myself for showing so obviously that I was still attracted to him. In fact this whole conversation was kind of turning me on…or maybe it was just his proximity. "Besides I already signed a contract."

"A probationary contract that I have to sign off on, now that I'm back." He countered.

_Dammit._

"I really need this job. I, as you're aware, am single, and the prospect of moving back in with my parents being my only option if I'm unemployed makes me want to throw myself off the Lower Trenton Bridge! My probationary period is 90 days. Can we put last night aside and reassess then?" He remained there, so close I could feel the warmth radiating from his body, silently staring me in the eyes. I wanted so badly to back away from him and his fucking intensity, but knew it was critical at this moment to stand my ground. He didn't need to know I was shaking on the inside.

"Fine. 90 days." He finally said. "I will be watching you, though. Don't forget that." He stood back and opened his mouth again as if to say something, but seemed to think better of it. We'll be having a staff meeting at 1200." With that he turned and marched out.

I slumped back in my chair and did a little deep breathing.

_What the fuck just happened here? _

An hour later Tank stuck his head around the doorway and dragged me around the building for my tour. I have to say we had a pretty impressive set-up, well it will be when it's finished. He showed me the gym and the card-swiper I was supposed to utilize to log my fitness requirements.

"As office personnel you don't need to go in here." He said as we approached the firing range but I'll show you all the same." He swiped us into what looked like a bowling alley. "Do you shoot?"

"No! I hate guns!" He chuckled and guided me quickly back out.

"If you ever want to learn any one of us would be more than happy to teach you. Over there are our holding cells."

"Holding cells? For what?"

"We don't use them much. Don't worry." He said evasively and hustled me into the elevator. We went over the rest of the building. There were apartments for employees, more than half of which were complete and a kitchen and break room combo on two different floors.

"Ella stocks the kitchens and puts out hot food for breakfast, lunch and dinner five days a week. If you work weekends then you're on your own for food." I looked over the offerings and thought about the lunch-time meeting. I grabbed the biggest muffin on the tray and poured a coffee.

"I'm going to get some work started before the meeting. Thanks for showing me around." I said to Tank as I turned…and ran right smack into the sex god, I mean my boss.

"Shi…sorry, uh Ranger. Didn't see you there." If I closed my eyes I wouldn't see the squashed muffin all over his perfectly fitted black shirt, right?

He just glared at me for a second and stalked away. I turned back to Tank and he gave me an amused smile and shook his head. I cleaned up the crumbs, grabbed another muffin and finally got behind my desk to get some work done.

I didn't look up again until 11:55 and consequently had to jog to the conference room on the far side of the floor. Seeing the large room filled with my coworkers was a bit overwhelming. We were all dressed the same, black Rangeman Tee, Black Cargoes, boots, even me. The only difference was, they looked like a well-trained tactical force and I looked like an idiot.

I was the last to arrive, but four different guys jumped up and offered me a seat around the huge oval table. I waved them off and opted to stand by the door instead, half hiding behind the massive muscle-bound guy in front of me. I'm not really the wallflower kind, but the way the boss' eyes grabbed mine as soon as I walked in the room was just too discombobulating to endure for the entire meeting.

"Now that everyone is here…" He said pointedly in my direction. "Let's get this over with. We have hired a new office manager." I waved to everyone. "Stephanie will be in charge of payroll, personnel questions and inventory of everything but armory. Please address all questions on those subjects to her." He moved on with the meeting agenda and I let my attention wander a bit. I watched his employees and how they listened intently to every word he said. He seemed to be a natural leader. Physically he was perfect, but there were even larger men than him in the room, all seemed to be ready and willing to take orders from him.

The meeting adjourned without fuss and I hustled back to my office to slog my way through the massive amount of paperwork that needed to be organized.

Around 2:00 my email pinged. It took me a minute to pull up the message and was a little floored by its contents.

_From: C. Manoso_

_To: All employees_

_Effective immediately, a non-fraternization policy has been instituted. No Employee of Rangeman INC is to become romantically involved with any other employee, regardless of your position. The consequences of any breach of this policy will result in immediate termination._

_C. Manoso_

_Oookkayyy._

**AN: I have no idea if this is how policies like this are written, but I'm going with it. **

**Let me know what you thought, please?**

**Love,**

**EA xoxo**


	3. Chapter 3

**So…a few of you are annoyed with Ranger, justifiably so, he's being a big baby and a butthead. Maybe this will explain it a little bit. **

**Thanks for all the reviews. I'm so happy you guys are enjoying this story. **

**Any recognizable characters or places are the sole property of their respective owners. This plot, however, is all mine. **

RPOV

Walking back into my building the next morning, I got the usual polite nods from my men and was intercepted at my office door by Tank.

"Ranger, good to see you alive and well." My second-in-command said as he one armed me into a hug. He pulled back and looked me in the eyes. "How did it go?"

"As expected." He nodded knowingly. Tank had seen his fair share of overseas assignments.

"If you need to talk it through, you know where to find me. I'm going to be meeting the new office manager in 30 minutes. If you can manage to surface from the pile of shit we left on your desk, take a minute to introduce yourself. I think you'll like her. Stephanie is a really cool lady."

_Stephanie? _

"…_I'm starting my new job tomorrow…" She had said…Nah…no way. I mean, what are the odds?_

"You okay?" He rumbled.

"Yeah, fine. I'll stop in there in a few." He clapped me on the shoulder again and disappeared around the corner. Opening the door and looking at my desk, I could see he wasn't kidding about that pile of shit I had to wade through. As if I wasn't in a bad enough mood already.

It had really irked me that Curly had left without even leaving her number. Granted, it wouldn't be all that difficult to find her even if I didn't have her friend's number in my phone, but it wasn't the same thing as her giving me her info freely. I wasn't alone in what happened last night. I felt and watched her come, three times, I know she enjoyed it. I had a great time, that's for damn sure. I had definitely wanted to see her again. Maybe even to talk this time.

I shook myself out of my internal whining and got to work sorting through the monumental pile of files on my desk. The next time I looked up an hour had passed and my curiosity got the better of me. I hustled around the corner and came to a halt at the doorway of the newly occupied office. I tensed at the familiar, slightly husky, voice emanating from the person hidden under Tank's hunched over torso as he worked the computer. I felt a surge of jealousy flow through me. I couldn't see her, but it was definitely Curly and my friend was leaning over her way too much for my liking. Couldn't he stand to the other side of her to show her around our computer system?

"We're looking to expand and Ranger would like you to research suitable office space in Miami, Boston and Houston." He told her, still not moving away from her.

"I never asked, what's the owner's name? I'm going to feel a bit doofy calling him Ranger." What kind of person takes a job and doesn't know the name of the person who signs their paychecks?

_The same kind of person who doesn't even bother to ask the last name of the girl he's planning on taking home and fucking all night…Man, I can be such an asshole sometimes. _

"Carlos. Actually it's Ricardo Carlos Manoso." I said. Tank slowly stood up straight and quirked an eyebrow at my tone. He was like a brother to me, he knew I was very pissed right then. I finally allowed myself to really look at her. She was, annoyingly, even more beautiful now than she was last night. Fresh, pink-cheeked and surprisingly bright eyed after our late night. She had hardly any make-up on and all that hair was restrained in a pony-tail, and best of all, my name was embroidered directly over her breast.

"Give me the room." I said quietly. I wasn't much of a yeller, I found that overt emotional displays were generally a waste of time and energy. But, I had to work hard to keep my shit together this time.

Tank left after giving me a long look and telling her he would be back to give her a tour. She mumbled an affirmative to him, but never broke my stare.

"So, uh…hello…it's, uh, nice to see you again." She said nervously.

She should be fucking nervous. What kind of a set-up is this? This was entirely too coincidental for me. While my assignments were generally top secret, I had had more than a few credible death threats in the last few years. And now, here, I get home from removing a dictator from power and quashing his oppressive regime and the woman who had so thoroughly entranced me last night has wormed her way into an upper-level management position in my fledgling company. I was upset when I thought she ducked out this morning, now I was incredibly suspicious of her motivations.

"I know Tank had to have run a background check on you, but I'm only going to ask you this once. Did you know who I was last night?" She looked taken aback by my question.

"No!" She replied vehemently. Not that I expected her to answer truthfully if she did. She was either a fantastic actress or being honest. I really couldn't tell.

"I'm sorry, but I'm finding this whole thing entirely too coincidental. I've come to be a bit paranoid, you see. It's what's kept me alive so far." I could feel the grip I had on my control starting to weaken.

"Look, I had no idea who you were last night. If I remember correctly, _you _approached me. _You _asked me to dance…and go home with you…" She had me there, but my team and I had worked too many distractions for that to be a good argument. Men in general think with their dicks. Myself included. I might have approached her, but she had looked right at me as soon as she walked into the club and had danced very provocatively right in front of me. And it wasn't like she had shown any resistance to my pushy advances. What other reasons could she have for what happened between us last night?

Suddenly I was standing in front of her chair, invading her space. I noticed the exotic perfume she had worn last night was replaced by a soft, luscious, fruity scent that made me want to bite her.

"I don't think this is going to work."

She looked dazed, "What?"

"You working for me." That snapped her out of it.

"You can't fire me for sleeping with you!"

Even as images of last night assaulted me I stood firm. "It's my business! And I wouldn't be firing you for sleeping with me. I'd be firing you because I couldn't trust you."

She was incredulous at my assertion and argued her case vehemently. Yes, I employed a former gang member. Hector had shown his loyalty to our team more than a few times. I had no qualms about having him behind me. Her on the other hand…

"So let me get this straight." She said snottily. "You get such a bad vibe from me that you felt comfortable enough to fall asleep on me while I was still in your house?" _The house I never allow anyone but my housekeeper and Tank in…_"So deeply so, that you didn't even know I'd left?" I was so close to her now I could feel her warm breath on my face. I took some smug satisfaction at seeing her eyes go to my mouth, but that was quickly forgotten when I remembered where my mouth had been on her body last night. I was trying to not get a hard-on in front of her. Completely determined that she wouldn't see any physical sign that I wanted to bend her over her desk so badly right now until I was sure of her intentions. But, Christ, she was making it difficult.

When she mentioned the contract, I knew she had me there. I was also impressed by her tenacity, most people flailed and cowed down when I talked to them the way I spoke to her, but she stood up for herself and even made me smile internally when she said she'd rather end it all than move back in with her parents out of necessity.

I had left all control to Tank when I'd left two months ago. He had the authority to hire and fire anyone he chose. I trusted his judgment almost as much as I trusted my own. Although after this clusterfuck, I was starting to doubt my instincts.

I relented with those two things in mind. "Fine 90 days, I will be watching you, though. Don't forget that." I was having a hard time taking my eyes off her even now, just not in the way I had inferred. I almost asked her why she had left the way she did, but thought better of it at the last second. Knowing that would give her an edge over me that I wasn't comfortable with. I left before I could give in and kiss the shit out of her and rounded the corner only to find Tank waiting for me.

"Don't you have work to do?"

"Nah man, you're back now. I'm taking it easy today." He said falling into step with me and closing my office door behind us. "What the fuck was that just now?"

"What?" I busied myself with shuffling some papers around.

I could feel him staring me down, but I wasn't going to give in.

"Ranger."

"What?"

"Do you know our new hire?" He wheedled. I could hear the smile in his voice.

"Yes." I wasn't going to elaborate. He knew better than to think I would.

"Damn, are you fucking kidding me? How do you do it?"

"What?" I finally looked up at him. His shit eating grin wide across his face.

"You just step in shit. She's really cool and damn hot. I was thinking of asking her out, now that I'm not her boss anymore." I stood up abruptly, ready to rip his throat out. His grin just widened. "Oh, you got it bad!" He laughed.

"Did you run her background check?" I growled at him.

"Who are you talking to?" He asked, sobering quickly. "Of course I did. She's clean. Born and raised right here in Trenton. She's cousins with Vinnie Plum actually. Went to Rutgers University, Douglass College, graduated in the middle of her class. She went straight into a buyer position at some two-bit department store in Newark and was laid off when they were shut down a few months ago. Her former supervisors highly recommended her. She has about $1500 in the bank and has one more lease payment on her car. Her credit is okay, except she shops an awful lot, so her cards are nearly maxed out. She lives in an old apartment building on the edge of town, nearly in Hamilton Township. She's single, she was divorced from some douche-bag ambulance chaser 18 months ago. There's nothing in her history that appears to be fabricated or suspicious. What's got your bells clanging my friend?"

I guess I had to tell him something so he would be on the alert too. "I met her last night…I, uh, took her home with me." He let out a long whistle. "And now here she is." I waved my hand in the direction of her office.

"You need to relax, brother. It's a coincidence. I'd bet my balls she's exactly what she appears to be. If you want to see her background check, I put a hard copy in that pile and it's already in the personnel database. Check it out for yourself. I have to go and get some things done before I show her around properly." His grin reappeared. "Would you like to join us?"

"Get out of my office." I could hear his booming laugh echo all the way down the hallway.

After another hour of mind-numbing paperwork, I hiked to the break-room for a yogurt only to be attacked with a goddamn muffin by none other than the seductress herself. Rather than losing my shit in front of my employees, I turned and stalked back to my office, steaming fucking angry.

Things just got worse when I saw no less than four of my guys jump up to offer her a seat at the staff meeting. All of them practically slobbering over her. They wouldn't have done that for anyone else had they walked in late to a meeting. Just because a, stupidly, unconsciously, sexy woman walked in they'd turned into moronic teenagers. We went through the agenda quickly, all the while I was seething internally at myself. I couldn't stop my eyes from wandering to her. Masochistically drinking in the curvy figure I could just make out under her uniform. Refocusing on my name on her left tit. My mouth watered and I wrenched my eyes from her again. Noticing again that rather than paying attention to my words, there were at least two team members surreptitiously checking her out. I felt my jaw clench and ended the meeting. Tank once again accompanying me back to my office.

"This isn't going to work out." I said to him.

"What?"

"Having her here."

"Are you still going on with this shit? She's not a spy or some kind of Trojan horse. Chill the fuck out."

"Not that. Did you see everyone in there acting like they'd never seen a woman before?"

"No, but I did notice you had a hard time keeping on topic."

"What? No I didn't…Did I?" He just nodded. "Shit…I need for the guys to be focused on their jobs. Why did you have to hire a woman, especially one that looks like that?"

"She was the very best of the bunch, believe me she's more than qualified. The only other woman we have here is Ella. I thought we needed a little diversity too. The guys will be fine. Are you sure it's them you're worried about?"

"Yes." I said resolutely.

"Just checking." He said sounding unconvinced.

"I'm going to institute some kind of fraternization policy today. I think that should keep everything from getting out of hand."

"Seriously? You've never even mentioned that before."

"It wasn't necessary."

"Ranger, there are three outed gay guys on staff. Dating between personnel has always been a possibility."

"I'm aware of that. I just think that it could become an issue here."

"You mean if someone asks her out, you're going to disembowel them?"

"Pretty much." I said with an exasperated sigh. "What do I pay you for anyway? Because it's not so we can sit here and braid each other's hair. Go do something." He hopped out of his chair and headed to the door.

"Dinner tonight?"

"Yeah. I'll let you know when I'm done here." He gave me a sarcastic salute and disappeared through the door.

After a bit of research online about the type of policy I wanted to implement, I drafted a broad one, encompassing any and all romantic involvements between all employees. All of the websites I visited reiterated a common thread, that the institution of these types of policies generally had a negative effect on company morale. It didn't matter though, I was resolute on this. I hated feeling weak, and this whole thing was making me feel uncomfortably vulnerable. This was my way of regaining control.

This woman was really getting under my skin.

**AN: in retrospect, Ranger comes off a bit whiny here, but I kind of adore Tank as his BFF. Not to worry, he'll pull his head out of his ass soon. **

**Let me know what you thought.**

**Love,**

**EA xoxo**


	4. Chapter 4

**Any recognizable characters are the sole property of their respective owners. No infringement is intended. This plot, however, is all mine.**

SPOV

My first week at Rangeman had been pretty stressful. Aside from adjusting to a new environment and coworkers, I was expending a lot of energy avoiding my new boss. My boss, who had a perfect ass and was kind of an ass. He wasn't paying me much attention either, so I guess we'd settled into a little bubble of denial. Just because I couldn't get the image of him looming over me out of my head and could still feel him kissing me a week later, didn't mean that I couldn't do my job.

It had taken the full week to reconcile the personnel files with all the faces I saw around the office. Nearly everyone was friendly and respectful, so I guess the boss wasn't into telling everyone about his conquests. I was glad of that. While the guys that worked here were all what would be considered eye candy, after the consequences of my one night with Ranger and the new work policy, I wasn't going to let myself view them as any more than good-looking friends. The only time that was difficult was when I had to do my mandatory gym time. Seeing all those muscly men flexing and sweating was way more of a job perk than I had anticipated. My hour in there had seemed like it was going to be an awfully long one until the first time I stepped through the door and been greeted with that sight. I'd probably even be willing to do more than the required time.

In an effort to show how dedicated I was to my new job, I spent the weekend turning the MLS listings inside out looking for available real estate in the cities Tank had asked for. By Monday morning I was armed with at least ten options for each area and was feeling pretty smug as I knew without a doubt that Tank would be pleased with what I had come up with. Each real estate listing had nearly all the specifications that he'd said were necessary and what was missing could easily be added. Surprisingly, the search engines I had used didn't have 'gun range' in the list of amenities available in the buildings that were for sale.

I parked in the garage and made my way straight to Tank's office, only to see him buckling a gun belt around his waist and shrugging into a flak jacket.

"Oh! I'm catching you at a bad time. I'll come back later."

He shoved some cuffs in his pocket, "No Steph, I'll be gone all day. What did you need?"

"I have those real estate listings you asked for." I said holding up the binder in my hand.

"Can you give them to Ranger? He was asking me about them yesterday." He holstered _another_ gun at his ankle and made towards the door.

"Oh…uh, yeah I can do that. He's not going with you…wherever you're going?"

"No, he's got meetings today. I have a few skips to pick up. Your cousin actually sent them over."

"Vinnie?" I asked with a shudder.

He laughed at my reaction. "Yeah, have a good day."

"You too, be safe." I said eying his weapons. He waved his hand dismissively at me and took off.

I took a deep breath and stiffened my spine.

_No more avoiding! You work for the man for fuck's sake. _

I marched the two doors to Ranger's office and knocked on the open door. He was typing away on the computer and flicked his eyes in my direction and away again. Before my ego could really plummet, he finished whatever he was typing quickly and gave me his full attention.

"Ms. Plum."

_Maybe it was better when he wasn't staring at me like that. _

"Hi, good morning. Tank asked me to give these to you." I handed him the folder and turned to leave.

"What is this?" His voice considerably softer than last week.

"The real estate listings in Boston, Miami and Houston." He flipped the cover open and stood up.

"Have a seat…please?" He gestured to the small conference table on the other side of the room.

Framing it like a request seemed like it was difficult for him. I had noticed that this place was very militaristic in its administration. Not disrespectful, just a very hierarchal structure.

"I have some things I need to…" I trailed off watching him stride towards me.

"Have a seat Ms. Plum." He said a bit more forcefully.

"Sure, okay." He pulled my chair out for me and sat down next to me. I watched as he silently leafed through the pages. I felt foolish. I had spent a significant amount of time hole punching each paper and sliding each one into a little plastic sleeve this weekend. It seemed more juvenile and ridiculous the more I thought about it. I might as well have starred and made little hearts on my favorite pictures with a little, pink, glittery, gel pen. This company, I had come to find out, was more than just a security firm. The bulk of the staff had been in some form of special-forces in the Army, Marine Corps or Navy. The ones that weren't had some specific skill that they were hired for.

"These are all good buildings to start with. What specifications did Tank give you?" He finished his sentence and turned to face me. Close up like this he was kind of dazzling and it took me a minute to really hear his question.

"Um, no more than $10 million, 25,000-30,000 square feet. Multiple floors. Mixed zoning for residences and office space and a basement for holding cells…we don't actually "hold" people down there do we?" Whenever I thought about it, it made my skin crawl.

"Sometimes." He shrugged, but didn't elaborate. He went back to studying the binder. I couldn't help but observe him. He wasn't being the asshole he had been on my first day, but he wasn't being the sexy, smooth talker that I was immediately drawn to, of the night before that. It made me wonder which one was the real him.

He smelled like he had just stepped out of the shower and I found my eyes drawn to the way his t-shirt spanned his biceps and the play of muscle in his arm when he flipped a page. When I looked past his arm, I realized that his shirt was equally as tight on his abs. You could very nearly make out the definition of each bump of muscle. My eyes continued their perusal and slid south, I couldn't help but notice the bulge against the crotch of his cargo pants. Realizing the inappropriateness of my ogling, regardless of the fact that said bulge has been in my hand, mouth and inside me, I looked up at his face, mortified. He had a slight smile tipping the corner of his full lips and I couldn't tear my gaze away from him, my cheeks feeling like they were on fire. His dark eyes sharpened as he must have seen the direction of my thoughts, but quickly softened.

"I'm sorry about the other day." He said quietly. "I reacted badly to seeing you here and made some ridiculous assumptions about you intentions here. Do you think we can start again?"

"You mean like…" I waved my hand between us.

"No, no. I mean professionally. You've already done some really good work here, and it's only been a week. Tank has been raving about you every day." He rolled his eyes. "The only thing is, I haven't seen your firearms qualification. Everybody has to do it once every six months and be licensed to carry."

"Seriously? Tank never said that! I despise guns. I get the shivers seeing you guys walking around with them on. I don't need a gun, I do office work!" No need to worry about blushing any more, I could actually feel the blood run out of my face as I thought about having to hold and shoot a gun.

"You'll be fine. One of us could take you downstairs today, but yes, _all _employees are supposed to qualify."

"Okay." I uttered shakily, freaking out internally. "Sure, who should I ask?"

He thought about it for a second, "Do you have anything pressing that needs to be done right now?" He looked at his watch. "I have two hours before my first meeting with some potential investors for this." He tapped the binder still open on the table. "I could take you down there and show you how to get started."

"I guess now is as good a time as any. I mean, if I really have to do it."

"Yes, you do." He said simply. He stood and gestured for me to proceed him out of the office. I was apprehensive the entire way to the basement. I didn't want to have to hold a tiny death machine. Knowing me I would flail and shoot myself in some irreplaceable part. I liked nearly all of my parts.

I jumped as the heavy range door slammed behind us. "Relax. First, I'm going to demonstrate the stance that is probably best for you. It's called a modified isosceles stance, it can help minimize recoil after firing a round. Feet shoulder width apart, right foot slightly ahead of the left. Lean forward on the balls of your feet, shoulders forward of the hips, hips forward of the knees. You want to look like a boxer." He arranged himself the way he was instructing me. "Turn your torso a little sideways, both arms will be braced straight behind the gun." He held his arms out. "Okay, show me."

I tried to copy his positioning, but felt moronic. He walked behind me and moved in close, making my heart pick up double time. He placed his hands at my waist and turned my upper body slightly sideways, while keeping my hips square and forward. He gently kicked my feet further apart and touched my shoulders. "Keep these down and back." He murmured close to my ear. If he felt me shiver when he did that, he didn't remark on it. He moved in closer behind me and lifted my arms up, smoothing his fingertips down the sensitive undersides of my elbows. Encouraging me to keep them straight.

_You'd think, after all the places he's touched me that this wouldn't be titillating, but holy moly was I getting turned on. _

It was kind of sad actually, the man so badly didn't want a repeat of our night that he enacted a policy forbidding employee romances the very day I started. I didn't want to react physically to someone who had no further interest in me. No matter how gorgeous he was or how good he smelled, or, jeez, how amazing it felt when he basically had me wrapped in his arms, showing me how to keep my arms steady. He moved in the last bit of space between us and I had a flashback to Sunday night so intense that I might have whimpered.

"You have to relax. If you tense up like this before you shoot you're going to miss your target for sure." Yeah, easier said than done. He just said all that in the same 'sex' voice he used that night.

"Alright." He said stepping back. "I'm going to give you a few different guns to try. I've found that the bigger the gun the less the felt recall, so let's do that first." He crossed to a cabinet and unlocked it pulling out a few cases and boxes. He walked me through loading and unloading the first gun and then dry firing it so I could get the feel of the trigger. I was actually okay until he made me stand in the cubicle and drew the target closer.

"Here." He held his hand out and deposited the bullets in mine.

"Oh god."

"You'll be fine."

"I'm going to shoot myself in the foot!"

"No you won't. I'm right here. Do you think I'm going to let you get hurt?"

"You tried to fire me a week ago." I grumbled. He just stared at me. "Fine. No, I don't think you'd let me get hurt."

"Okay, load it and show me that stance." I complied, again he made some adjustments and I became resigned to the fact that every time he touched me I was going to shiver or have to bite back a moan, or some other approving noise. He backed away. "Go ahead and shoot at the target."

I took a deep breath and tried to pick a spot to shoot at. I squeezed the trigger and couldn't help but close my eyes at the massive bang that erupted from the small cannon I was holding. The recoil took my arms up far higher than I had thought it would and I grimaced at the unblemished target only thirty feet away.

"It helps if you keep your eyes open, Curly." I could hear the grin in his voice and it took me a second to realize he'd called me Curly. I whipped around and he just maneuvered me back to face my new nemesis. "I'll stay right here this time." I don't quite know what help he thought having his big hands on my waist was going to be, but it was only serving to get me flustered. Just not enough to complain about it. The bastard was definitely doing it on purpose, I could feel every inch of him snugged up behind me, _every single inch_. "Don't try to fight the recoil. It's going to happen no matter what. Try to relax." He whispered in my ear. My eyes started sliding shut of their own volition. "No, keep those eyes open." He wrapped his hands around mine on the butt of the gun and pressed his cheek to mine over my shoulder. "Go ahead." My treacherous body relaxed back into his and I squeezed the trigger.

"I hit the paper! Holy shit! I hit it!" I uttered in disbelief. It wasn't on the silhouette, but I was close.

I felt him smile against the side of my face, "Yes you did. Do some more and then you're on your own." He moved away after I emptied the clip and I was left feeling disturbingly bereft at the absence of his warmth behind me. He had me practice with four different guns, so I could pick the one that felt the best. In the end I was left with a very sore arm, a blister on my trigger finger, I reeked of cordite, but I was now a much more confident owner of a Glock.

"Give Lester Santos your info and he'll process your license to carry. Until then, keep that in your desk in a locked drawer. You can take it home with you, if you want once the paperwork goes through, but you don't have to carry it all the time like everyone else. I want you to practice once a week until you're comfortable with it."

"Okay." He nodded and turned to leave. "Ranger, wait." I moved in front of him. "Thank-you, for your help. I'm sure anyone of the staff could've done that for me, so I appreciate you taking the time to teach me."

He looked a little flummoxed for a second. "Well I just wanted you to be safe. Being around guns and being nervous is dangerous for everyone in the vicinity."

"Still, thank-you."

"You're welcome."

Again he turned to leave, but I stopped him with a hand on his forearm. "What changed your mind about me? Last Monday you were ready to kick me out of the building."

"Honestly?" He looked surprised I'd asked.

"Yes."

"Well, besides a more thorough background check, I've been watching you around the office and Tank has been your personal cheerleader. The day I came back here…" He cut himself off and looked at his watch. "I have to get to that meeting." He looked up at my skeptical face. "I really do. Can I catch up with you later?"

"Yeah, I'll be leaving for lunch with a friend, but I'll be back by 1:00." A look flashed across his face too quickly for me to define.

He nodded and turned away again, this time letting the door shut behind him. I walked back to the cubicle I'd used and pushed the button to bring my paper target closer. Regardless of my intense dislike of guns, I was pretty proud of what I'd managed to do. One of my shots had even gone through the heart area. I thought about that for a second and got queasy. I really, really hoped I never had to actually use the glock. Ever.

The rest of the day passed quickly. I met my best friend since forever, Mary-Lou and her little boy, Jack, at a deli around the corner from the office. She was well aware of the Ranger situation, so I filled her in on our shooting lesson.

"So, let me get this straight." She whispered over her two year olds head. "He was all pressed up against you, for like ten minutes, and he didn't touch you anywhere fun?"

I blew out a breath. "No, but he probably could've shown me how to do it without laying a hand on me at all. It was kind of inappropriate for work. We were alone, but I wasn't going to tell him to back off. I think he knew he was getting me…" I trailed off looking at the baby on her lap. "…you know, 'happy'."

"Of course he did. You get all lit up like a candle when you're in a 'happy' mood. He'd have to be blind not to see it. Especially given that he's already made you 'happy' twice before."

"Three." I corrected her absently

"And you left after that?"

"We've talked about this already. I have to get back to work." I shoved the last of my sandwich in my mouth and dropped a kiss on both of their heads. "I'll call you later. Love you." I called out as I walked out the door.

I hiked back to the office and got settled into work. The next time I looked up it was nearly quitting time and the bossman still hadn't shown up. I just could not get a good handle on my opinion of him. First impression was that he was ridiculously sexy and was magic in bed, second impression was that he was an asshole. Then today he'd been so nice to me, I mean, yeah, he'd probably touched me a little too much, but holy cow, I'd enjoyed it. And now it seemed he was back to avoiding me. He had my head spinning and that wasn't a feeling I enjoyed a whole lot. I nonchalantly strolled past his office on my way out, but it was dark and unoccupied.

After dinner and a biweekly interrogation of my love life at my parent's house, I finally made it through the door of my peaceful little apartment. The only noise coming from the squeaky wheel Rex's cage. He stopped his frantic motions and peered up at me.

"You're the only reliable man I know, Rex." He twitched his whiskers at me and went back to galloping away. I grabbed a few grapes from the bowl on the table and dropped them into his food bowl. He screeched to a halt and scurried to retrieve them. He shoved all four into his pouches and retreated to his soup can to enjoy his bounty.

Being the show was over, I showered off the lingering smell of gunpowder and changed into shorts and a tank-top and plunked myself down in front of the TV. Two hours later I was jolted awake by quiet knocking on my door. I sat there, slightly disoriented, heart hammering, before the knock came again. I jumped up and looked through the peep-hole and grimaced when I saw who it was.

I shoved my hands into my hair, which had sadly turned into a Bride of Frankenstein style bouffant. Realizing the futility of my efforts I blew out a breath and opened the door.

"Hi." I said awkwardly, feeling exposed in my warm weather pajamas. He looked me up and down slowly before walking right past me and into the living room. "Please come in." I muttered sarcastically. "So, uh, what are you doing here Ranger?"

**AN: this is kind of an awkward place to end it, but I need to tell the rest from his POV. He won't be a jackass much longer, well, not much of one anyway.**

**Hope you liked. Let me know what you thought.**

**Love, **

**EA **


	5. Chapter 5

RPOV

"So, uh, what are you doing here Ranger?"

"I told you I'd catch up with you later." I said, looking around at her little apartment.

"Yeah, but I thought you meant at the office. I gave up on that explanation hours ago."

"I always do what I say."

"Okay, time-out. I'm going to make some coffee. Do you want some?"

"No."

"Thanks." She said sarcastically.

"What?"

"No-thanks, is generally what people say when they're offered something they don't want." She huffed and headed into the kitchen. Every time I felt like I was even keeled around this woman, she did or said something that shifted that balance. I hadn't intended to get so hands-on with her shooting lesson, but starting with sitting next to her in the office, I felt myself moving closer and closer to her. She just smelled so damn good.

I followed behind her and watched as she made coffee for herself, really enjoying how short her shorts were. For someone who was 5'5" she had some seriously long legs. I had a flash of what it felt like to have those thighs over my shoulders and I had to clasp my hands together to not grab her, strip her naked and fuck her right in her kitchen. She turned to face me and leaned back against the stove, giving me an even better view. My girl really didn't like wearing bras.

"So, are you going to stand there staring at my ass all night or are you going to tell me why you're here?"

I grinned at getting caught, "Can I do both?"

"No actually, you cut yourself off from ogling privileges when you handed down your 'no work-related nooky' edict."

"It didn't seem to stop you from ogling earlier." She, predictably, blushed and took a long look at her coffee cup in her hands.

"Yeah, well." She muttered uncomfortably.

"Your interpretation of the new rule is a little off though." Her head snapped up. "It forbids relationships between employees. I'm not an employee, I'm the owner."

She just rolled her eyes and snorted, "Wow, that's not egocentric of you at all."

"How so?"

"You leave yourself open to be able to _date_ someone who works for you, which is kind of improper by the way, but your employees that find each other attractive aren't able to pursue each other without losing their job."

_Who is fucking pursuing her?_

Before I knew it I was standing over her, in her space. "Who asked you out?"

One of the things that really turned me on about her was that she never backed down, never got scared when I acted like an asshole.

She stood up straight, invading my space right back, nearly toe to toe. "None of your fucking business. I don't belong to you. We had sex Ranger. One night, you fell asleep, I left. I don't feel like you're the type to want a relationship. Just because I work for you, a job you told me yourself that I was doing well today, doesn't mean you get to interrogate me about my life."

"Who. Asked. You. Out?" I gritted out, my temper starting to flare.

"Why. Do. You. Care?" She fired back.

Why did I care? I hadn't had many one-night stands. In the past I'd go to one of a select few women I knew I could trust and who knew there was no possibility of a future with me. This sexy woman had me tied up in knots almost right away. Our sex had been sweaty and intense as fuck, and I'd had to take care of myself more than once this week thinking about it. It was more than that though, when I touched her I felt…something. Foreign, but really good. The night we met she was curious about me, continually looking at me. But when I had first approached her, she didn't seem all that interested until her friend pushed her literally and figuratively towards me. It wasn't until I finally got my hands on her that she seemed to be as effected by me as I was by her. Her responsiveness had been an incredible aphrodisiac. I can't remember ever being as desperate to have sex with a woman before. I also, couldn't remember ever being as fixated on anyone as I had been with her this week.

"Because I wanted you the minute I saw you, and I can't stop fucking thinking about you." I said pressing in close, trapping her lush body between the counter and me. Her breathing picked up and a different flush spread from her chest on up. "Because I don't want anyone else to feel these on them." I rubbed my thumb across her bottom lip. She hummed and raised heavy-lidded eyes to me. I boosted her onto the counter and ran my hands around to cup her perfect ass. "If anyone that works for me got to feel or see you like this, all breathless and ready, I'd have to fucking kill them." She moaned and let her head fall back against the cabinet behind her.

Hooking her legs around me she scooted forward until the only thing that stopped me from pushing inside her was the two layers of cotton between us. She minutely shifted her hips and I might have whimpered. I could feel the heat of her seep through my pants.

"Who asked you out, Curly?" I groaned as I felt her fingers slide up my neck and bury themselves in my hair.

"No one." She pulled my face down and kissed me hard. Christ, but this woman could kiss. Breaking away she moaned in my ear, "Your caveman shit shouldn't turn me on, but holy shit, I need to do dirty things to you right now."

"You have no idea babe, I've been thinking about this all week. Why do you think you haven't seen me around much? I knew it would be like this, that I wouldn't be able to stop touching you." I tugged at her little top until she lifted her arms and I whipped it over her head.

"You are so fucking beautiful." I cupped her tits and ran my thumbs over her rock hard nipples, making her undulate against me again.

Her shorts really needed to go. "Lift up that ass, babe. I need to see that pretty pussy." She eagerly lifted up and I slid them off her. Exposing her the way I'd wanted to see her since she left my house seven days ago. I lifted her feet until they were flat on the counter. She was completely spread open and I was so fucking hard I was surprised my cock hadn't beaten its way out of my pants.

I ran a finger up her slit, surprised to feel her so slick already, I slid it inside her and she banged her head against the cabinet. I had a whisper of a thought about protection, I had no intention of even touching her coming over here, let alone her allowing me to do this to her again, so I hadn't thought to bring any condoms with me.

"Carlos." She whispered, giving me those eyes again. Ramping me up even more. "Please. Don't tease me." I've said it before, but I'm a sucker for begging, I'd never be one of those guys that strung a woman's orgasm along, especially this woman, it was the hottest thing ever watching her come. I worked another finger inside and she yanked my mouth back to hers, shoving her tongue in deep. I rotated my fingers and found that little rough patch inside her and put pressure on it, quickly thrusting in and out, making her shake and moan. After less than a minute she screamed into my mouth and convulsed like crazy, coming all over my hand. She went boneless immediately after and I had to pick her up so she wouldn't slide off the counter.

There was only one hallway in her little place so I carried her down it and found her bedroom door open. Laying her down on the bed, I started to strip, feeling desperate to get inside her. She lay there quietly, watching me, body completely relaxed.

My dick was so hard that it ached and I was pretty sure of her answer, but I asked anyway. "Do you have some kind of protection Curly? I need to fuck you." She nodded and rolled over lazily, digging through her side table drawer and pulling out a condom. A regular sized one.

"I don't know if this will fit you. My best friend gave me these as a 'you got laid gift'. She asked about your size." She waved her hand at me. "But I left out length and girth. Much to her displeasure." I couldn't help but laugh. Tank had done everything but straight out ask what she looked like naked. We had more in common than I thought. Nosey friends included.

I moved closer as she ripped the wrapper open and held my breath as she grasped me tightly and licked the bead of pre-come off the tip. She grinned up at me and rolled the condom down, only to have it rip right down the middle when she had it half way on.

_Motherfucker!_

"Shit! Let me try another."

The same thing happened with the other two from the package and I felt like I was near tears at this point.

Every time one of them snapped she would rub my cock like it had hurt me. Her soft fingers on me were going to make me come all over her and I think she knew what she was doing to me.

Grabbing her wrist before she finished me by hand, I climbed over her. Rubbing my dick against her leg for some relief. "I'm clean Babe, before you, I hadn't been with anyone in at least six months, and Bobby gave me a physical when I got back. Are you on the pill or anything?"

"Why would I be? I was off men completely, remember." She moaned and arched her back as I shifted my hips and my cock made contact with her.

"What if…unh…I pull out when I come?" I slid in just the tip.

Her eyes cleared and she regarded me without the fog of lust. I froze, suspended where I was, dying to plunge all the way in, but waiting for her to allow it. I felt her hands move from their loose position on my hips and splay on my lower back, pushing me downward and I slid all the way in. Both of us moaning at the sensation. I'd only had sex without a condom once, when I was young and stupid, the pregnancy scare that followed should have been enough to slap that stupid out of me. Apparently not though, because anything other than the tight, wet, heat of being inside the gorgeous woman underneath me fled my mind. I rested my elbows next to her face and watched her reactions to every slow, deliberate move I made. The scrape of her hard nipples against my chest, her nails digging deeper on my ass cheeks, her breath rushing past my ear all combined to set me on fire. I'd never had sex like this. This position, yeah, countless times, but this, with her staring into my eyes like she could see everything inside my head was just…different and a little scary. She lifted up the last few inches of space between us and kissed me so fucking softly, making my heart go crazy.

She pulled back a tiny bit and whispered, "Oh god…ah…You feel so good." After all the dirty talking we'd done, hearing her say this was infinitely sexier and it unleashed something in me. I wanted this to last, so I kept it slow, but pushed in as deep as possible. Her head arched back and I attacked her exposed neck, feeling her racing pulse on my lips. I felt like I wanted to climb inside her, like I couldn't get deep enough. I rubbed hard against her pubic bone, trying everything to make her come without having to move my hands away from where her head now rested on them. I lowered my face to kiss her and the shift in angle must have done the trick for her, because she quickly tensed up and got really, really loud. Strangling the hell out of my cock. Feeling her come like that dragged the climax right out of me and I pulled out at the last second, spilling on her belly.

We just stared at each other, trying to catch our breath. I didn't want to move and break this connection with her. It was right then, that moment, I knew I was in trouble with her. I couldn't or wouldn't move. I was lifted up enough that I wasn't crushing her, but she hadn't let go either, her arms still wrapped tightly around me. I bent to kiss her again and hissed at feeling the cooling jizz that had landed on her stomach. She laughed at my disgusted face and pushed me backwards until I sat up.

"Can you grab a towel from the bathroom? If I get up now it'll drip everywhere!"

"Shit…yeah, I'm sorry." I jumped up and grabbed a towel for her and crawled across her bed to wipe it up, ignoring her outstretched hand. Her hand landed softly on my back as I cleaned her and she slowly scratched her nails up and down. I wiped up the little bit that had gotten on me and looked for somewhere to throw the towel.

"Basket is in the corner." I lobbed it in there and she tugged my hand until I was stretched out next to her. "Are you going to answer my question now?" She asked, pulling a blanket over us.

"About what changed my mind?"

"Yes." She nodded.

I blew out a deep breath. "What did Tank tell you when he hired you, about where I was?"

"He just said that you were away and that you'd be back soon, he just wasn't sure when. But you told me the night we met that you'd been away."

"Yeah, but it wasn't for business." She pulled back a bit looking uncertain.

"What was it for then?" She said guardedly.

"I can't get specific." She flipped the sheet back angrily and went to get up. All the softness of a few minutes ago gone. "No wait, come back."

"Don't give some bullshit line here Ranger. If the next words out of your mouth are "I'd tell you but…" I'll kick you in your ball-sack."

"No, really. Look, obviously you know my nickname." She just rolled her eyes. "Well, I didn't get it by accident. I was in Army Special Forces, the Rangers, you know "Rangers lead the way." I pulled her back down to me and trapped her against my side so she couldn't take off again. I've been out for about four years now, but every so often I get…subcontracted, out to do a job for various agencies." Jesus this was hard to explain without the luxury of being able to go into particulars. "I was gone for two months this time. When I saw you at the club, I had just gotten back from a debriefing. It usually takes me a few days to get back to myself after each…time. What happened that night, between you and I, it's not something I usually do…and then you left and suddenly you were in my office. I was still very guarded from being away. I was suspicious and a little bit hurt that you had left the way you did. I'm sorry for acting like an asshole. I try to be rational in all things and to never react without thinking, but around you that doesn't seem to be the case."

"That was pretty sad."

"What?"

"I expected better than that." She said as she tried to move away.

"I'm not lying!" I could feel myself getting pissed again.

"You were editing." She countered.

"You told me not to say 'I'd tell you, but it's classified.' There's only so much that I can tell you. If you don't believe me ask Tank. I think he likes you more than he likes me anyway, and he's my best friend. I'm not lying Curly." She gave me that same intense, clear stare as before. I could practically hear the gears in her mind turning.

Finally, she said, "I know I'm probably going to regret this, but fine, I believe you."

"Really?"

She stared at me for a few seconds again. "Yes. Lord knows I can't seem to keep my hands off of you as well. So it's either believe you or lose all respect for myself."  
"Why would you lose your self-respect? From sleeping with me?"  
"Um, yeah. I'm so drawn to you that I slept with you again, even though you were a gigantic douche to me last week. You're also my boss and you enacted that policy. What the hell was that by the way?"

"You can't figure that out?" I smoothed a piece of hair away from her face.

Her eyes searched my face again. "I think I can, but I'd like to hear you say it."

"I told you before that I can't stand the thought of someone else touching you or seeing the way I just saw you. That first day back, I saw five of my men going all gaga over you, including Tank. I thought it was best to do something like that before I dismembered a valued employee for asking you out on a date. I'm not used to feeling possessive." I'd spent my life avoiding serious relationships and had dodged the marriage bullet along with that long ago pregnancy scare. I still didn't think I was settled enough to try a full blown relationship, even with the end of my government contract. But damn if this woman wasn't making me rethink my stance.

"Well you need to dial it back a bit, and Tank has no interest in me in that way."

"He may have been joking when we talked, but believe me I know him well. He'd have to be blind not to find you attractive. Any guy would. You're gorgeous Curly, and you're brave and smart."

"You're not so bad yourself." She climbed on top of me and smiled. "Oh, I like this view!" She lowered her face to me and just when I thought she was going to kiss me again she veered off course and moved her lips slowly down my neck. She was working her way down my chest when she suddenly stopped, her head snapping up and looking around.

"What's the matter?"

"Is your phone on vibrate?"

"Yeah."

"It's ringing."

"Shit. I have to answer." It was nearly midnight. It had to be important. She reached down and grabbed my pants off the floor. I dug the phone out and caught it before it went to voicemail on Tank.

"Yo." I kept Steph astride me, I was enjoying my view too.

"Ranger, I'm going to need your help with this last skip. He's holed up in Fat Boy's Tap. The biker bar on Division St. and it looks like his whole motorcycle club is in there with him."

"Who's in the control room?"

"Hal."

"Have him send out Cal and Les, Bobby too. I'll be there in twenty."

"K, boss." I hung up and barely resisted the urge to throw my phone across the room.

"I have to go."

"Yeah I kind of figured that. Can I help?"

"Nope. I don't know how long this is going to take. Can we continue this tomorrow?" I smoothed my palms up her thighs.

She smiled and shifted off me. "We'll see." I sat up and kissed her again. Forcing myself to stop, I clambered up and dressed, barely taking my eyes off of her laying in her bed. Hair splayed, pink cheeked, well-fucked. I could definitely get used to seeing her like that.

I bent down and kissed her again, pulling back I said, "I'll see you in the morning?"

"Yeah." She said softly. "Be safe."

"Always." She started to get up. "Where are you going?"

"I'll lock the door behind you."

"I'll do it."

"You don't have keys."

"Don't worry Babe, I've got skills. Go to sleep." I kissed her one more time and left. Locking the deadbolt with my pick. Grinning to myself when I heard her test the lock behind me. Getting in and out of a locked door were the least of my talents.

**AN: See? Less of a butthead now, right?**

**Let me know what you thought?**

**Love, **

**EA xoxo**


	6. Chapter 6

**AN: Thank-you for all the lovely reviews! It means a lot to me that you're enjoying this story so much.**

**I own nothing but this plot.**

SPOV

Did it make me weak or foolish that I trusted this guy? I really didn't think so. As soon as I met my former husband, something had my internal alarm jangling. Instead of listening to the voice in my head, I allowed familial pressure to get married as soon as possible, sway me. After all, my ex was very handsome, was doing well enough in his fledgling law practice that we were able to buy a house together and was one smooth motherfucker. Unfortunately, he was using that slickness to get laid every time my back was turned. Needless to say our split was less than amicable. Ranger on the other hand, while his explanations were incredibly vague, there was a ring of truth in what he said.

I'd noticed that the company I worked for was much more than what it seemed, these guys weren't merely rent-a-cops. A week ago if a man had told me he performed classified missions for the government I'd have told him to fuck off. But Ranger, I don't know. I just believed him. Even though I knew that he wasn't giving me the full story of what crawled up his ass last week, I guess I could understand it.

I'd been burned in the romance department before with my clusterfuck of a marriage, so I hoped that whatever this turned out to be, between me and him…Well, I just hoped I wouldn't end up sniveling in bed with no one but Ben and Jerry's to comfort me…again. Not that I thought this was going to turn into anything serious. He may be a bit fascinated with me, but he didn't exactly have settle-down potential. This whole thing was moot anyway. After the divorce, I'd promised myself that I wouldn't ever blindly jump into a relationship again.

I shook my head and threw the blankets off, it was never a good thing when you woke up thinking about your boss. Even if that boss was under those same blankets just a few hours ago. I rushed through my shower and primping routine, in a hurry to get to work, for no particular reason. Definitely not because of the sexy guy whose office was three doors down from mine.

I was bouncing in the elevator from the parking garage and giddy on my way down the hallway. Nodding and saying hello to all the guys as I passed them. I threw my bag on a chair by my desk and then stopped short. I had no clue where we stood. He was reluctant to leave last night, but beyond a vague reference to picking up our conversation, or was it the nakedness? Tomorrow, I had no idea if I should wait for him to come in here or go to him. After a seconds reflection I decided I wasn't cut out to be the submissive sweetie. I'd go to him.

Knocking on his closed door, I heard him murmur from within. I pushed it open and sucked in a breath, not happy at all with the sight that greeted me. He was sitting, reclined in his big leather desk chair, still wearing the same clothes as last night. Though come to think of it, it was pretty much his daily uniform. Bobby, the company medic, was hovering over him, dabbing at his face with some bloodied gauze and tossed it onto the paper drape on his desk with what seemed like a small mountain of more bloodied gauze. The confluence of emotions that flowed through me at that moment was staggering. I was instantly irate, I wanted to beat the snot out of whoever did this to him, I wanted to cuddle him and I wanted to cry that his beautiful face had been damaged. The blood was doing a number on my stomach as well.

I cleared my throat and tried to steady my voice, "What happened?" They both turned my way.

"It's just a scratch." Ranger said in his scary, quiet voice.

I looked at Bobby, he just shrugged and rolled his eyes. He gathered up his supplies, slapped a big band aid on Ranger's right cheekbone, patted me on the shoulder and whispered, "He's being a bear right now, you might want to duck out while you can." He continued past me and pulled the door closed behind him with a soft click.

Ranger looked at me for a second, his expression softening greatly and then laid his head on the back of the chair, letting his eyes shut. I doubted he had slept at all, he looked so tired and drawn.

I moved closer and got a better look at him. His right knuckles were scraped up and there was a shadowy bruise on his chin.

"What happened?" I asked again, trying to infuse some forcefulness in my voice. It was somewhat negated by the fact that I had moved right next to his chair and was running my fingers through his soft, thick hair.

A tiny smile tipped his lips upwards. He sighed and opened his eyes. "You should see the other guy."

"Carlos." The warning clear.

"We had a problem subduing the skip. He needed a little persuasion to allow us to cuff him. He should be released from the hospital around lunch-time. We'll take him over to the police department then."

"Why is your bail-jumper in the hospital?"

"He's at the ER getting a cast put on his arm."

"You broke his arm?" I squeaked. I knew Ranger was a tough guy, but geez!

"He pulled a knife on Tank and cut his arm badly enough to need stitches. He's lucky that was all I broke."

"Oh god, is Tank okay? Are you okay?" I brushed my fingers over his cheek under the band aid. His skin, still slightly tacky from the blood. He winced away from my hand and I got really concerned. "Are there stitches under here?"

"Yeah. It wouldn't stop bleeding."

"How many?" Hopefully, he didn't hear the hysteria I could feel trickling in.

He shrugged, "A bunch. Bobby didn't say."

"Does stuff like this happen a lot?"

"Define a lot." He asked opening one eye.

"Oh god!" I sat down heavily on his desk. What the hell did I get myself into with him?

His other eye popped open, "What?"

"How often do you get beaten up?"

"Babe, I don't get beaten up." He sounded like I'd insulted his manhood.

"Your face!" I grabbed his hand and held it up so he could see. "Your knuckles!"

"This is nothing. I'll be fine. I'm going to cut out in a little while and get some sleep though." He grinned up at me. Suddenly his hand snaked out of mine and he yanked me by my shirt, down to his face. "Hi." He murmured, closing in the last few inches, I could feel his breath on my lips.

"Hey Ranger…shit, sorry." We pulled apart hearing Tank's deep voice and I looked over at him somewhat guiltily. "Knock-knock?" He smiled cheekily. "Sorry to interrupt, but I'm back. The nurse said she'd call me before they release Maggot. Hal's over there in case he tries to take off again."

"Maggot?"

"Jace 'the Maggot' Martinelli, the skip, he's a ranking member of the Grim Reapers. The only outlaw motorcycle club in New Jersey." Carlos said. It hadn't escaped my notice that he had yet to relinquish his two fisted grip of my shirt and we were all suspended in a weird tableau. Tank just inside the closed door, me hovering over Carlos, perilously close to his mouth.

Tank cleared his throat uncomfortably, "Uh, I'll just give you guys a second." He shot Ranger a significant look and slipped back through the door.

"Hi." He said again, before pulling me back down and kissing me softly.

I broke away before I could get into it. "What the hell? We need to talk about this."

"Why?"

"Really?" I could feel my eyebrows edging in on my hairline.

He sighed and released my shirt. "Fine, shoot."

"Me? Uh-uh mister. You're the one that made this…no work-related lovin' rule up. What are you going to do about it?"

"Nothing, I already told you, it doesn't apply to me."

_Was he serious right now?_

"You're messing with me right? You think that you can molest me in front of a coworker and it'll be okay after that memo?"

"Tank wouldn't say a thing at work. Outside of here is a different story. My men won't say anything either. That's not the way this place is run. They get orders, they follow them. End of. Dissention is met with termination." He said with finality.

"You do know that's not how I operate, right? I was never in the military. I don't take 'orders' well, never have. If you ask me to do something, most often I'll bend over backwards to get it done. I get a bit…obstreperous, if I'm _told_ what to do." I took a step back as he abruptly stood, needing to crane my neck up to maintain eye contact, but I stood my ground. He didn't scare me…much. He stared down at me with an unreadable expression for a minute.

"You seemed pretty open to suggestions last night." He murmured lifting his hand to cup my neck, sliding his fingers into my hair, his thumb skimming my cheek.

"Yeah well, you seem to be the exception to a lot of my rules." I muttered breathlessly.

He moved in even closer. "What rules?"

"Sleeping with someone the first time you meet them." I closed my eyes as he kissed me softly.

"What else?" He rasped.

"Having sex with my boss." Another, longer kiss.

"And?"

"Very quickly forgiving someone who was a total asshole to me. I usually hold a grudge." I said in a much stronger voice. He backed away enough to regard me.

"I don't do apologies well, I told you I was sorry for that. As for the new policy, I'll rescind it. It was reactionary and out of character for me anyway. Would that make it better?" He asked earnestly.

"Are you going to freak out if someone flirts with me?"

"Probably. Depends on your response though." He moved back in to kiss me again, but I pulled back a bit.

"What are we doing here Carlos?" I needed to know his thoughts on this.

"I honestly don't know. This is all new to me."

"What's new?" I prodded.

"Feeling possessive. I wasn't lying last night, when I said that the idea of someone else touching you makes me want to break something." The 'or someone' was implied by his suddenly tense posture.

"And I wasn't lying when I said you need to dial it down a notch. I have no intentions of working my way around the office, but I'm also not ready to be in a "relationship" per se. You're going to have to accept that if you want to keep doing…whatever this is we're doing."

He stared at me blank-faced for a minute. Finally he said, "I do want to. Can I take you out tonight?"

"Like a date?" I clarified.

"Yeah." There's that tiny smile again.

_My god, he's gorgeous!_

"Okay." I felt my own face crease into a grin. "What time and where to?"

"8:00 and I'm not sure yet. I'll pick you up at your place?" He waited for me to nod and bent to kiss me again before letting me go. "I'm going to head across the street and get some sleep. I'll be back here around lunchtime."

"Sure." I said feeling a bit giddy.

His smile increased to a mega-watt grin as he backed to the door, towing me by the hand with him. I let go after he opened the door and walked him to the elevator. He held eye contact with me as the doors swished shut and I sighed as I turned to go back to my office, only to walk into the brick wall that was Tank.

He steadied me by the shoulders and looked at me skeptically.

I stepped back and said, "What?"

"What was that?" He asked motioning to Ranger's office with his head.

"I really have no clue." I muttered more to myself that him. He chuckled deeply as I moved off. My mind whirring with my conflicting emotions. How could I, in one breath tell him that I wasn't ready for a relationship and in the next accept his request for a date. I mean it's not like we were going to get married, but I was worried that I might be sending mixed messages. On the other hand, it would be messed up to balk at a date when I'd already slept with him twice…right?

I collapsed in my own comfy chair and pressed my forehead to the cool, polished wood of my desk. I allowed myself only a minute to dwell on this, then got to work. Pushing thoughts of what would happen tonight aside, I got busy with spreadsheets and digital timecards and payroll. The next time I looked up Ranger was at my office doorway, looking freshly showered and smelling so good.

He crossed the few feet to my desk and placed a muffin and a cup of coffee in front of me. "Is that the same type of muffin that I assaulted you with on my first day?"

He smiled again and nodded. "Yes. Do you think you can restrain yourself from smashing it into me this time?"

"I think so." I smirked, ogling his tight shirt. My eyes landing on the gun strapped to his waist. "Going somewhere?"

"I have to go grab the Maggot from the ER and have him booked in at court."

"What did he do to get arrested anyway?" I asked as I started to peel the wrapper off my muffin.

"You name it, gun-running, pimping, dealing drugs. He's a really bad dude." He said, perching his ass on the edge of my desk and crossing his arms over his chest.

"What the hell did they allow him out on bail for?"

"He's friends with some prominent people around town, probably provides them with 'services'. They'll remand him now though, so we shouldn't have to chase him down again."

"Is he the type to retaliate? I mean you broke his arm and you're making him go back to jail. Somewhere he obviously doesn't want to be, as he jumped bail and didn't show up for court." I had the most irrational, anxious feeling building in the pit of my stomach.

Ranger shrugged his broad shoulders. "I don't really care. I've handled much worse than him before. Don't worry babe, I've been around here longer than their little charter of bad guys. I have friends too."

"What does that mean?" The overall feeling I'd gotten from working here was that Rangeman operated inside the law. The way he'd phrased that made me worry that my initial impression was wrong.

"I have to get going and get this guy booked." He said, dodging the question deftly. "We'll talk later?"

I blew out a frustrated breath, "Fine."

_Why did I keep letting him get away with this mysterious shit?_

He grinned and disappeared.

I tried to get back to work, but found I was too distracted to get anything accomplished, so I hit the gym for my required time. Watching Les, our munitions specialist, and Cal, a shift supervisor, sparring on the mats allowed me a respite from my whirling mind. I trudged through a couple of miles on the treadmill, observing them dodge and weave each other's jabs, almost as though it was choreographed. They pulled the punches they did land so they were only glancing blows, but I still winced all the same.

Les finally pinned Cal and he tapped out. They both stood chests heaving and sweaty. They fist bumped before splitting up, Cal to the locker room and Lester came my way.

"You want to go Steph?" He nodded to the mats.

"I don't think so. I'm not much of a fighter."

"C'mon, it's a lot more fun than running. Better exercise too." He huffed

"No doubt, but given you outweigh me by what? Seventy pounds? It'd hardly be fair. Besides I don't need to do all that physical stuff, the only thing I have to grapple with in the line of duty is the copy machine when the paper is jammed."

"You should always know how to protect yourself Steph. How about tomorrow? I could show you some things in the morning? Before work?"

"You're very sweet to offer, but I'm okay." The very idea of being flung around by Les, like he just did with Cal was incredibly unappealing.

"You know where to find me if you change your mind. By the way, you're carry permit was expedited, it'll be in by Thursday, so you can take your gun home with you then."

"Oh, great." I muttered unenthusiastically. He laughed and headed into the locker room.

After my run and the testosterone fueled entertainment, I was clear-headed enough to get through the rest of my day. Ranger had never come back to the office, so I had no idea where we were going tonight. I spent a fraught few minutes in front of my closet wondering what to wear and settled on a similar outfit as the night we met. Tight jeans, low-backed halter (with a bra this time) and heels. I fluffed and primped and was just slipping my shoes on when I heard a gentle knock on my door.

The man on the other side, would take just about anyone's breath away. He had on a dark blue shirt that was open at the collar, accentuating his smooth, naturally tanned skin. His tailored pants fit just right, but were unable to hide the fun stuff they contained. I snapped my head up when I heard him chuckle.

"Babe, you really know how to make a guy feel good about himself." He smirked. His eyes flicked me up and down. "You look beautiful." I couldn't help but blush. He'd said it before and he was just as sincere then, but the way he said it today was just…more. "You ready to go?" He asked extending his hand for me. I grabbed my bag from the side table and took his hand.

"Ready." I lost the battle with my face to not smile too big and got the mega-watt grin in return.

"This is going to be good." He said as he closed in to kiss me.

_I couldn't help but agree._

**AN: Some adventures coming up for these two!**

**Let me know what you thought, please.**

**Love EA xoxo**

**P.S. Give me a LET'S GO RANGERS! They play Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals tonight. All the good wishes from last time had to have helped them come back from near elimination! They're doing so well!**


	7. Chapter 7

**AN: Sorry for the delay. I got sucked into research, hopefully it helps the story along in the long run. **

**Hope you like.**

**Sadly, they're not mine, but this plot is.**

RPOV

It was kind of hard to concentrate on driving with her next to me. I'd never had this problem before, this was usually when I was most calm. She was very gently dragging her nails up and down my forearm on the console between us and it was driving me crazy, like pull over on a quiet street and fuck her senseless in the back seat kind of crazy. She just had this way of heating me up without even trying, she was definitely one of the most unconsciously sensual women I'd ever met. Rather than break contact all together, I turned my palm up and twined my fingers with hers. She looked my way and smiled sweetly.

"So, where are we going?"

"Lucio's."

"Really? That's one of my favorite Italian places!"

"Yeah?"

"Mmmmhmmm. They have this gravy that's out of this world, it's even better than my mom's!"

"Good to know." She really did get excited about food. I'd noticed the way she ate and was a little mystified that she had such a perfect body, curvy and lush, yet still firm and toned. Most women had to work hard to look like she did and I'd heard from more than one person that she didn't enjoy the mandatory gym time.

We pulled up to the small Italian restaurant and walked in. As we made our way to the table I had requested, I did my usual scan of the area. A tiny alarm went off in my head when I locked eyes with that scumbag Maggot's attorney at a table in the opposite corner. That bell clanged a little louder when his gaze drifted to Stephanie and my hand possessively at the small of her back.

Bringing that asshole to city hall from the hospital had been uneventful today, the initial takedown though, was anything but. It had been brutal and I'd had to restrain myself to only breaking the asshole's arm when he'd pulled that knife on Tank. Cal and Les had immediately moved in behind Tank and I, acting to discourage anyone from interfering with our apprehension. But this guy really didn't want to go back to jail, saying he had shit to take care of before he went back inside. He'd complained the entire trip this afternoon, promising retribution from his friends for his injury.

I'd paid no mind then, knowing I could handle just about anything this shithead tried to throw at me, but I wasn't used to having someone else to worry about. The smirk that spread on the attorney's face and the fact that he reached for the phone in his pocket worried me a bit.

I ushered Curly into the booth seat against the wall and squeezed in next to her. We'd look like one of _those _couples, but with her sandwiched between me and a wall I could keep an eye on her and everything else that much easier.

"Carlos, we're not going to be able to eat if you sit there." She said demonstrating how little elbow room she had.

"We'll make do." I said quietly, pulling out my phone and texting Tank and Les. Neither of them was working tonight and hopefully they wouldn't mind watching our backs. I'd have to face an inquisition from my best friend and my cousin some time tomorrow, but it'd be worth it if we can get through one date without anything catastrophic happening.

"Alright what's going on?" She asked suspiciously. I just stared at her, silently debating whether or not to tell her. She growled and bumped her hip against mine to try and move me out of her way. "If you're going to turn into 'scary-voiced asshole' again, I'm going home. You were all calm and sweet in the car and now you're all tense and being short with me. I won't do this back and forth shit." She kept trying to nudge me out of the booth. "Please, move." She growled.

"Steph settle down. I'll tell you what's going on." My phone buzzed and I checked the readout. My guys were on their way already. I tucked it in my pocket and gave her my attention. "On the way in here, I noticed Martinelli's attorney over there. When we were taking him in today, the moron made some…threats. None of which I think he'll act on. Tank and Les are on their way…" She was looking more panicked with each word I said. "Just as a precaution."

"Are you kidding me? I told you! Didn't I say to you today that something would come of this?" She whisper-yelled.

We were interrupted by the waiter inquiring if we were ready, we quickly ordered and got back to our conversation.

"Babe, don't worry everything will be fine."

"Don't do that. Don't try to placate me. You just called in bodyguards for our date, I don't know about you, but I'm not used to a terror threat level when I go out with someone." She didn't look happy, but she wasn't trying to squeeze past me anymore.

"I'm not big on dating. This is the first one I've been on in years." I said with a shrug.

"Really?" A sudden, bright smile spread across her face.

"Yes." She had said earlier that I broke some of her rules. She seemed to be breaking some of mine too.

I was finally able to lower my guard a little when Tank sat down one table over and Les was positioned outside the door. We talked and ate, even laughed a bit. Steph was actually really funny, she had a pretty sarcastic sense of humor and it was kind of a turn on. In fact there was a lot about her that turned me on. Like the fact that she kept touching me, but didn't seem to realize it. She also had this confidence about her that was incredibly alluring. She never fully relaxed throughout dinner though, so I paid the check as soon as it arrived and we made our exit.

Crossing to the car, I wasn't all that surprised to hear the cacophonous roar of motorcycles approach. I knew that attorney had called someone. Steph's fingers tightened around mine, but she showed no other signs of stress when the bikes stopped close to us. From their patches, I could tell they were some of maggot's brethren. I was surprised to see one of Trenton P.D.'s former vice detectives slide off one of the Harleys and stand in front of me. His eyes made a slow perusal of Steph, immediately getting my back up.

"Holy shit, Stephanie Plum! What are you doing with this asshole?" I tightened my arm around her and tried to place her more behind me and the guys, but she pushed her way forward.

"Morelli? I thought you were in prison."

"Aww cupcake, you remember me." He snarked. I felt her stiffen beside me. I knew that he'd been acquitted in that murder investigation, but I'd never have guessed that losing his job would've sent him to an outlaw MC, unless he was deep under-cover. "Your boyfriend here did some damage to our brother today." I pulled Steph fully behind me and we formed a wall in front of her. Les and Tank rested their hands on their holstered side arms. Morelli and his henchmen pulling theirs out and held them loosely pointed down.

"You need to get back on your bikes and get out of here, Morelli." I warned. If he fired, I wouldn't hesitate to put him down. The way he had looked at Curly when he first approached had me itching to fuck him up, but if shots went off this would turn into a bloodbath.

He smirked. "Tell your boys, at ease, and we'll do the same."

"Yeah, I don't think so. Say what you need to say and get the fuck out of here."

He clenched his jaw and moved in a few more inches, trying to invade my space. "Stay out of our shit. You got that?"

"I have no interest in your "shit". All we were doing was bringing in a skip. Tell your man not to ignore his court proceedings and we won't have any more problems." The three of them burst into laughter.

"Yeah, we'll keep that in mind." He turned away, but spun back quickly, arm flying in the hopes of sucker punching me. I caught his right fist, but he got me in the gut with a left upper-cut. Before either Tank or Les could react, Steph stepped around me and kicked him square in the balls with her pointy-toed shoe. _Holy shit! That was sexy as hell. _He crumpled to the ground whimpering and cupping himself, while his fellow shitheads howled with glee seeing their "brother" turn green and wretch on the blacktop.

"Was it not enough that I already hit you with my dad's car?" She growled at him. _What the fuck? _"Now you made me hurt you again."

His buddies dragged him off the ground and frog-marched him over to his bike. Les turned to Steph and held his fist out. "Stephanie, that was awesome! Maybe you don't need fighting lessons after all." Tank murmured his agreement.

"Testicle rearrangement is one of my specialties." She said absently, eyes on the departing bikers. "He deserved it."

"What fighting lessons?" I asked.

"I offered to teach Steph to fight today. It looks like she can handle herself though." My cousin said with a proud smile.

"We need to go." I told them, ushering Steph to my car, irritated and really turned on. If anyone was going to teach her to fight it wouldn't be my over-sexed whore of a cousin. But shit, watching her drop a big guy like that had me rock hard and that need-to-fuck-her-senseless feeling came barreling back with a vengeance. I wanted to shove her up against the door of the car and do it right there, but my guys stood there watching us. I opened the door for her and nearly sprinted to my side and screeched down the street.

"Babe, what was that all about?" I asked, rubbing my hand up and down her jeans-clad thigh.

"He hit you! I'm not going to stand by and watch that!" She growled angrily.

"What about the hitting him with a car thing?" I allowed my hand to wander to the apex of thighs and her head lolled back against the seat.

She sucked in a sharp breath as I started to gently rub against the heat I felt there. "Morelli and I have a history." She breathed out.

"I already figured that out. What about the car?" I pressed against her clothed pussy a little harder.

With a groan, she grabbed my wrist and laced her fingers with mine. "I can't talk about him and feel like _that_ at the same time." She breathed deeply for a few seconds before continuing. "I grew up around the corner from his family. We knew each other in passing, but he was ahead of me in school, so we weren't ever friends. I, uh, ended up losing my virginity to him…" _Motherfucker!_ "He, uh, kind of spread it around town that I'd had sex with him and then took off for the Navy without a word." I squealed to a stop in the office's garage. "What are we doing here?" She asked.

"My new place." I said shortly. I was going to hurt this asshole next time I saw him. "The car?"

She sighed. "I saw him two years later standing outside the bakery on Hamilton as I was driving to the mall. Next thing I knew he was under my front bumper, I have no idea how it happened." She shrugged, the picture of innocence.

_She really is pretty bad-ass._

"Remind me not to piss you off." I chuckled. I hopped out of the car and opened her door, tugging her to the elevator. "You know, that nut shot you gave him was all kinds of sexy." I said backing her against the wall of the elevator.

"Yeah?" She smiled cheekily.

"Uh-huh." I nodded moving in closer.

"I do that sometimes, react without thinking." She murmured, biting her lip.

"Then you have really good instincts. Although, you might have made an enemy in him."

"He won't do anything, when I hit him with the car I broke his leg and he still didn't press charges." I wasn't so sure that he would let this one go so easily.

I moved in the last few inches, but the doors swished open on seven before I could kiss her. "You're going to live here?"

"Yep, it's almost finished. C'mon and see." I unlocked the door with the new remote Hector had given me earlier and we went inside. It smelled like sawdust and cleaning products inside, but on the whole was complete. Only the kitchen countertops needed to be installed and it would be done. I was having the last of my things brought over tomorrow and I'd be moved in completely. I stood closely behind her and pulled her back into me, firmly holding her hips. "What do you think?"

SPOV

"What do you think?" What did I think? His place was gorgeous, very masculine, dark woods and rich blues, but light walls. Obviously, a decorator had done a lot of work in here, or Ella.

"It's very nice." I shivered as he trailed his fingers down my mostly bare back and he pressed his face to my throat. "Show me around?" I felt him smile against the skin of my neck. He pressed a kiss against my pulse and guided me down the short hallway to his bedroom. The beautiful, massive bed had no sheets on it, but still looked amazingly inviting. As I crossed to it, I caught a glimpse of his bathroom and stopped dead. It looked like one of those bathrooms you only see in a design magazine. There was no bathtub, but there was a big sunken glass enclosed shower stall against the wall. It had multiple shower heads and steam attachments and I couldn't wait to jump in there with him.

"They just finished in there today. I can't use the shower until tomorrow afternoon, but after that…" He trailed off. I went a bit wobbly-kneed thinking about the "after that".

"What about this big bed? Do we have to wait to use that too?"

"Nope." He said, nudging me to the edge of the bed. "There's no sheets yet though, they're coming in tomorrow." He turned me and his hand slid down to cup my ass.

"I don't need sheets." I groaned as he squeezed. I shuffled until we reversed positions and worked down the placket of his shirt, slowly revealing his beautiful body to me. I was practically salivating by the time I got to the last button. Hands-down, he was the most well-built man I had ever seen. I didn't want objectify him, but I could look at him like this all day long.

I slid my hands under the shoulders of his shirt and pushed it down his arms, letting it fall to the floor. I tip-toed to kiss him softly, but he held me there and deepened it, sliding his tongue against mine and setting me on fire. My hands flew to unbuckle his belt, after some blind fiddling with his zipper I finally shoved his pants down his legs and tunneled my hands under the elastic of his boxers, finally getting my hands on the most perfect ass in the world. I could feel his thick cock pressing hard against my stomach and the only thing I could think of in that moment, was how much I wanted to take it in my mouth. Carefully, I slipped his shorts down until he was gloriously naked in front of me. Just looking at him made everything inside me shiver. I slowly stroked my palm down his smooth chest and stomach, grazing my nails down that delicious v-shaped ridge of muscle demarking his groin, reveling in the hitch in his breathing and the pure lust radiating from his dark eyes. He had taken the lead both times we'd been together and I had loved it, but I wanted to explore him, wanted to be in charge for now. I circled his cock and squeezed gently with one hand, while my other moved lower and cupped his balls, loving the soft moan he let out. Stroking him up and down, his hands raised to the hem of my shirt slowly easing it up until I had to let go of him. As soon as I was free of it, I pushed on his chest, making him sit on the edge of the mattress, making him bounce slightly.

"Take off the rest of your clothes babe." He rasped, leaning back and watching avidly. I kicked off my shoes and peeled off my pants, feeling incredibly powerful and sexy under his unrelenting gaze. "Turn around." I turned my back to him and shuddered when his fingers gripped my hips and pulled me closer. I was so hypersensitive I almost jumped when his fingertips traced up the center of my back to the clasp of my bra. Freeing me of it, I made to turn back around, but he held me steady and I moaned feeling his lips trail kisses down my side and even louder when I felt his teeth gently sink into my right cheek, nipping my ass. His hand came up the back of my thigh and cupped me. "These are very pretty panties Curly." He murmured quietly. "I don't want to rip them, so you're going to need to get them off right now."

_That sex voice was back!_

Feeling pretty bold, rather than moving away to take them off, I stayed where I was and shimmied them down a bit, then folding at the waist I bent and pulled them off with my hands instead of kicking them off. I was rewarded with a loud groan from him and a little spank. I hadn't ever known that I would like that. He was never too rough, just enough to make me tingle and get even wetter. He seized my hips so I couldn't move from my piked position and gritted out, "You like that babe?" I guess my moan was enough of a tip-off for him. "Yeah you do, look how wet you are. Are you aching, babe? Do you need me to touch you?" He swept his finger through my slit and it disappeared for a second. I heard him hum and a pop as he slipped his finger out of his mouth. "Did I tell you how good you taste? Fucking delicious." Without warning he sank backwards on the bed, pulling me with him and maneuvered me until I was kneeling over his face. I had wanted to feel his tongue between my legs again, fantasizing about it even, over the last week, but this position was a bit embarrassing. I felt incredibly exposed, especially when he pulled me down even closer. All that faded away when I felt the tip of his tongue trace my lips and slither in to find my clit. _Jesus, he was so good at that!_ Right away, I could tell he was going to make me orgasm quickly. I looked down the length of his body stretched out before me and reached down to run my fingers over his straining cock, making him hum and buck his hips. I needed this to last for more than a minute for me, so I leaned forward, stretching over his body, to lick the tip of his dick. He moaned against my pussy and upped his assault, sliding one of his fingers inside me just as I sucked him in. I had really loved doing this to him last week and would have done it again last night if he hadn't had to leave. Feeling him hard and hot in my mouth was only serving to heat me up more and when he added a second finger I sucked him down deeper. His hot breath and the vibration of his moans against my clit making everything clamp down. I tried to concentrate on him, but he used the pads of his fingers to press down rhythmically smack-dab on the spot that made my toes curl. I had to let him slip out of mouth, unable to breathe, the unbelievable sensations he was causing in my body completely taking over. I felt the heat spread through every single part of me. I threw my head back and would have screamed if I'd been able to get any air in. Coming so hard, tiny black spots swirled my vision.

By the time I was able to breathe again I was slumped over his torso, him gently licking me to bring me down and my hand around his, _damn, _rock hard erection twitching and nudging my cheek. I moved to suck him again and the next thing I knew, he had flipped us over and was on top of me, staring down at me heatedly. Just the look on his face made my nipples contract and, unbelievably, my pussy ache for more of him. This man definitely had the key to my body.

"Did you enjoy that Steph?" He rasped, reaching down and hooking his hand under my knee and pushing it up towards my chest. Spreading me open in a most inelegant way. "I could do that to you all night if you wanted. Is that what you want? Or do you want this instead?" He rubbed the blunt head of his cock against me, both of us moaning at the warm, slick sensation. He looked down and growled, slipping just the head inside. "Tell me what you want babe, I'll do whatever you want." I forced my eyes open against the heat surging through my body and looked at where he was shallowly in me. The sight of him there almost too much to bear. I really needed to get on birth control. Feeling him bare inside me last night, without that chafing layer of latex, was indescribable. That was playing with fire though. We wouldn't be doing it without protection again.

"You…oh god! I need to feel you inside me! Please, tell me you have condoms here." He groaned and pulled out, wrenching open the side table drawer with so much force the lamp on top wobbled. I had to clench my thighs together, watching him roll the condom on so desperately, the friction not doing one thing to ease me.

"You better hold on to the headboard babe," he growled as he arranged my ankles over his shoulders. "This isn't going to be gentle." He lined us up and thrust into me deeply. My back arching involuntarily. I could feel him in places I'd never felt before. I reached back and wrapped my hands around the wooden slats. Staring up at his gorgeous face, eyes so intense I could feel them everywhere. He lifted me slightly and slid almost all the way out, slamming back into me, hands clamped so firmly on my hips. He thrust into me over and over, his face twisting into an inhumanly beautiful snarl. I was holding on to the headboard so tightly I could hear the wood groan under the pressure. My grip allowing me to push back against him with just as much force. He suddenly leaned forward, trapping my legs between us and kissed me deeply. I moaned tasting myself on his lips and tongue, our noises mingling in each other mouths. He shifted his arms so I could move my legs and I locked my ankles around his slick-with-sweat back. He stared at me intently for a second, seeming to be battling with words. His rhythm never let up, but the look on his face morphed from lust to something that set off butterflies deep in my chest.

"Babe, you feel so fucking good." He moaned before flipping us over. Quickly slipping back inside. "Ride me. I want to watch you." His hands found their way to my hips again and together we set a fast tempo. His eyes only leaving mine to roll back in his head when I added a little bit of an undulation. I could tell he was incredibly close to coming, his teeth assaulting his bottom lip in an effort to delay. And, oh god, so was I.

"Are you going to come baby?" I moaned brokenly. "I am…You're so big…You're going to make me come so fucking hard." He groaned and sat straight up, wrapping his arms around me and pulling me down as he pushed up. He shoved his tongue in my mouth, swallowing my scream as we both shook and climaxed, his guttural cries prolonging my orgasm.

He held me close as we quieted and I marveled at feeling his heart pounding against my own. Feeling our chests expand erratically as we struggled to get our breathing back to normal. Forehead-to-forehead.

His eyes opened drowsily and a small smile spread across his face. "Hey."

"Hi." I said, almost shy.

He slumped back, taking me with him. "That was…"

"Yeah." I agreed. I watched as his eyes fluttered closed. He looked so contented, like a cat lolling in a patch of sunshine. "Carlos." I whispered, pecking at his lips. "Baby, don't fall asleep. You have to take me home."

"No, stay." He mumbled, his brow furrowing slightly, his eyes still shut.

I sighed, I didn't want to leave. I was incredibly comfy here, feeling about two minutes from passing out myself. "I don't have any work clothes here. What about tomorrow?"

"Ella said the rest of your uniforms came in, she has them in her apartment." He uttered through a huge yawn. He gently moved me off him and stood. "I'll be right back." He shuffled into the bathroom and closed the door over. I collapsed face-first on the bed, shivering slightly in the absence of his warmth. Mind whirring despite my post-coital euphoria. Everyone would know I spent the night if they see me do a walk of shame to Ella's apartment on 6 for clothes in the morning. They would know exactly what we just did, well not exactly what we just did, but have a general idea. Did I honestly care what they thought though?

I heard the door squeak open and felt him leave the room. I rolled over and watched his naked butt walk into the living room and grab the throw blanket off the arm of the couch, killing the lights on the way back. He paused in the doorway, watching me watch him. "You're staying, right?" For the first time since I had met him, I saw a flicker of something akin to insecurity. Here was this, strong, smart, sexy, brave man, clutching a blanket, seemingly worried that I didn't want to spend the night with him.

"Yes. I'll stay." I got up and crossed the room to him, his arms wrapping around me. Kissing his soft lips, I asked, "Is there an extra toothbrush?"

He nodded. "In the cabinet next to the sink, there's extra heads for the electric toothbrush." He gave me one more squeeze before letting go and I made my way into the dream bathroom. I took care of business and was back on that plush bed, in his arms, in minutes. The last thing I felt before surrendering to sleep, his lips on my forehead as he whispered good-night.

_So much for that 'I'm not ready for a relationship' thing. Oh boy!_

**AN: And there's Morelli…**

**Let me know what you thought.**

**Love,**

**EA**


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